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Built on Purpose: Lessons in Leadership and Culture
Discover what makes a leader not just effective, but truly impactful.
In Built on Purpose, seasoned executive Paul Petera shares three decades of real-world leadership experience shaped by culture, humility, and intentionality. This is not a book about abstract theory or quick-fix management hacks. It’s a candid, practical, and inspiring guide for professionals who want to lead with purpose—and build healthier, higher-performing teams along the way.
Through compelling personal stories, strategic frameworks, and actionable insights, you’ll learn:
-Why self-awareness is the cornerstone of authentic leadership
-How to build high-trust, aligned cultures from day one
-When to mentor, coach, and give feedback that truly sticks
-What emotional intelligence looks like in pressure-filled moments
-How to pause, think strategically, and make better decisions
-What it means to lead a life—and career—of personal purpose
Whether you’re a first-time manager or a senior executive, Built on Purpose will challenge you to reflect, grow, and lead with more clarity, character, and impact.
Perfect for readers of Simon Sinek, Brené Brown, Liz Wiseman, and Adam Grant.
Start your journey toward more intentional leadership—because people are always watching.
In Built on Purpose, seasoned executive Paul Petera shares three decades of real-world leadership experience shaped by culture, humility, and intentionality. This is not a book about abstract theory or quick-fix management hacks. It’s a candid, practical, and inspiring guide for professionals who want to lead with purpose—and build healthier, higher-performing teams along the way.
Through compelling personal stories, strategic frameworks, and actionable insights, you’ll learn:
-Why self-awareness is the cornerstone of authentic leadership
-How to build high-trust, aligned cultures from day one
-When to mentor, coach, and give feedback that truly sticks
-What emotional intelligence looks like in pressure-filled moments
-How to pause, think strategically, and make better decisions
-What it means to lead a life—and career—of personal purpose
Whether you’re a first-time manager or a senior executive, Built on Purpose will challenge you to reflect, grow, and lead with more clarity, character, and impact.
Perfect for readers of Simon Sinek, Brené Brown, Liz Wiseman, and Adam Grant.
Start your journey toward more intentional leadership—because people are always watching.
176 pages, Paperback
Published September 15, 2025
2 people are currently reading
1 person want to read
About the author
Paul Petera
3 books1 followerAn award-winning writer, consultant, mentor, and leadership coach with more than three decades of experience building risk management programs in financial services, Paul Petera is someone who’s spent years thinking deeply about what it means to lead well, and what happens when we don’t.
His belief that people are a company’s greatest asset, and often its greatest risk, led him to devote much of his career to nurturing leadership potential, developing culture, and helping teams align around purpose and trust.
Through his new book, Built on Purpose, he shares the moments that shaped his leadership journey and the lessons that might shape yours. The book won an International Firebird Book Award in the Leadership Category, and was named Finalist in the American Writing Awards in the Business: Management & Leadership category.
Paul is a native of Virginia, a graduate of Virginia Tech, and currently resides in Texas.
His belief that people are a company’s greatest asset, and often its greatest risk, led him to devote much of his career to nurturing leadership potential, developing culture, and helping teams align around purpose and trust.
Through his new book, Built on Purpose, he shares the moments that shaped his leadership journey and the lessons that might shape yours. The book won an International Firebird Book Award in the Leadership Category, and was named Finalist in the American Writing Awards in the Business: Management & Leadership category.
Paul is a native of Virginia, a graduate of Virginia Tech, and currently resides in Texas.
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
September 17, 2025
Full disclosure: I am the author's mom. That said, I assure you that he has written a very readable and practical guide on leadership. It includes relevant experiences from throughout his very successful career in financial services. The book also catalogues his personal successes and "lessons learned", and his determination to mentor others and help them to succeed. I recommend his book without reservation to anyone in a leadership role, whether it be in business, sports or even charitable endeavors. Listen to Paul, he has something useful and powerful to say.
October 16, 2025
Paul’s book on leadership is an exceptional read, no matter where you are in your career journey. Whether you’re a seasoned leader, an aspiring manager, or someone simply looking to grow in your current role, this book offers valuable insights and practical takeaways for everyone.
What truly sets it apart are the thoughtful exercises that encourage you to reflect deeply on your habits, communication style, and overall approach to work. Paul doesn’t just tell you how to lead—he guides you through how to think and act like an effective leader while also becoming a stronger team member.
The self-reflection components are particularly powerful. When you take the time to engage with them and put the concepts into practice, you naturally evolve into a better employee, colleague, and leader. It’s rare to find a leadership book that’s this accessible, actionable, and genuinely transformative. Highly recommend!
What truly sets it apart are the thoughtful exercises that encourage you to reflect deeply on your habits, communication style, and overall approach to work. Paul doesn’t just tell you how to lead—he guides you through how to think and act like an effective leader while also becoming a stronger team member.
The self-reflection components are particularly powerful. When you take the time to engage with them and put the concepts into practice, you naturally evolve into a better employee, colleague, and leader. It’s rare to find a leadership book that’s this accessible, actionable, and genuinely transformative. Highly recommend!
September 23, 2025
Built on Purpose is an approachable and easy read. This book provides a combination of learnings from various management sources and personal annecdotes on how to lead with purpose. To help the reader translate the contents into practice, the author also ends each chapter with a series of questions. A specific topic that resonated with me was the description of leaders doing things for performative reasons vs with true purpose. The book helped me question if my recent key decisions or actions were rooted in posturing as a leader or if they were actually purposeful and contributed to the true outcome needed. Was I listening to respond or to learn? In a culture that touts "fake it 'til you make it", it was refreshing to find a different take to how we can be better leaders and humans to our fellow co-workers. Reading it felt like a more authentic, human-first leadership conversation.
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews