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Built on Purpose: Lessons in Leadership and Culture Now Available!
This compelling new book by Paul Petera delves into the intentional actions leaders take to advance their leadership journey, define culture and bring clarity within their organizations.
Through deeply personal stories and practically-applicable tools, Petera demonstrates how culture is intentionally constructed to align a leader’s purpose with organizational values and goals. This book is for leaders seeking to build strong, resilient teams by fostering environments where trust thrives and clarity drives consistent, purpose-driven outcomes.
Early praise for Built on Purpose:
“For over 20 years I’ve had the opportunity to work directly with Paul, as well as closely observe his work with others. During this period he has shown significant growth as a leader and manager. Built on Purpose is a thoughtful distillation of the principles and practices that both supported and resulted from that journey. As someone with many shared beliefs I think these are valuable lessons for leaders at all levels.”
—David Kimm, former Fortune 500 Chief Risk Officer and Chief Financial Officer
“Paul’s book is fabulous…full of insights for those striving to be great leaders!”
—Marv Adams, former Fortune 500 Chief Operating Officer
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FAQs
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Built on Purpose: Lessons in Leadership and Culture is a story-driven leadership book about becoming a more intentional, authentic leader. It combines real-life lessons, personal stories, and practical tools to help leaders build trust, shape culture, and create lasting impact.
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It’s for leaders at every level — from first-time managers to seasoned executives — who want to grow in self-awareness, lead with clarity, and strengthen their teams and organizations.
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If you’ve enjoyed the works of Simon Sinek, Brené Brown, Liz Wiseman, Adam Grant, Amy Edmondson, John Maxwell or Jim Collins, you might enjoy this book.
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Paperback, hardcover, and Kindle editions are available on Amazon. Signed paperbacks and limited-edition hardcovers with dust jackets (featuring an alternate cover) are available exclusively at paulpetera.com
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You can order signed paperbacks and limited-edition signed hardcovers directly through my website. Each order is fulfilled by me personally.
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Absolutely! Many leaders use Built on Purpose as a framework for team development or leadership programs. Bulk and workshop options are available — just reach out through the contact page.
Contents
PART I: THE INNER WORK
Leadership That Starts with Purpose
1. People Are Always Watching
Leadership begins with self-awareness. It’s the foundational trait that shapes how we show up, how we’re perceived, and how we grow. This chapter explores the ripple effect leaders create through their presence, decisions, and demeanor, often without realizing it. Drawing from early career experiences and wisdom from other leaders, it highlights how humility, feedback, and intentional reflection aren’t solely personal virtues, but culture-shaping forces. Becoming an authentic, trusted leader starts by understanding yourself.
2. What Are You “For”?
Strong leaders know what they stand for, not just what they’re trying to achieve. Here, we encourage deep reflection on personal and organizational purpose, and how alignment between the two creates clarity, consistency, and followership. Without that clarity, leadership becomes reactive, performative, and ultimately unsatisfying.
3. The Power of Intentional Leadership
Leadership is not a series of grand gestures or speeches. It’s a practice of daily intentional actions that shape culture, build trust, and reinforce values. From first impressions to feedback, from tone-setting to standing up for your team, we discuss how being deliberate in small moments leads to big impact. Intentional leadership is the bridge between what we believe and how we lead.
PART II: THE OUTER WORK
Building Aligned Culture and Strategy from the Start
4. Anatomy of a Successful Organization
A high-performing team isn’t built by luck; it’s built with intention. Here we introduce the foundational elements of great organizations: aligning core values, developing skills and competencies, clarifying purpose, and fostering trust. When these elements are purposefully cultivated, leaders can empower their teams, scale their impact, and build cultures that outperform and endure.
5. Designing for Purposeful Alignment
While mission and vision are important, cultural alignment is what makes them real. In this chapter, we introduce the first three of five strategic cultural themes that serve as the scaffolding: culture, capability, and structure. These themes give a leadership team a way to move together toward it; through shared purpose, clear expectations, and systems that evolve as it grows.
6. Slow the Game Down
Great teams move with clarity, discipline, and foresight. By investing in preparation, prioritization, planning, and practice, leaders can “slow the game down” for themselves and their teams. We then explore the final two cultural themes – engagement and continuous improvement – showing how trust, curiosity, and simplicity become accelerators of performance.
PART III: THE ENDURING WORK
Practices that Drive Results and Meaning
7. Swallow Hard and Lead
Leadership under pressure reveals more about us than success ever will. We’ll delve into the role of emotional intelligence, especially in tough moments, through personal experiences and missteps, showing how grace, adaptability, and self-awareness shape culture and credibility. When the stakes are high, leaders have the power to either elevate or erode trust in a single moment.
8. Before You Give Advice…
The most transformative leadership moments are often unplanned and unannounced. We spend time unpacking the power of mentoring, coaching, and feedback; three tools that shape others through presence, intention, and belief in their potential. Whether you lead formally or informally, your words and how you use them can change someone’s path.
9. Strategic Pause
In a world of constant noise and speed, the ability to focus becomes a strategic advantage. This chapter highlights the value of carving out intentional time to think; individually, as a team, and across an organization. Thoughtful leadership requires space to reflect, and with it comes clarity, alignment, and more-informed decisions.
10. What’s Most Important to You?
Purpose becomes something more powerful when we connect what we do to what we believe. We end with a personal story of legacy and conviction, calling leaders to align business impact with personal meaning. In doing so, we not only lead better, we leave something behind that matters.
Book Information
Publisher: Petera Leadership Group, LLC
Publication Date: September 15, 2025
Pages: 176
Format ISBN ASIN
E-book 979-8-99988750-2-0 B0FNNH8B78
Paperback 979-8-9998750-0-6 B0FNRFHTDZ
Hardcover 979-8-9998750-1-3 B0FNR61DNZ
Alt Hardcover 979-8-9998750-3-7
Writing Built on Purpose has been one of the most rewarding chapters of my leadership journey. It’s helped me reflect on the lessons, missteps, and moments that shaped how I lead, and who I’ve become.
Want inside access? Want to join the launch team, get a sneak peek or offer a blurb for the book? Use the form here to sign up and I’ll keep you in the loop.
-Paul