What do da Vinci, construction sites, and steel sculptures have in common? Each one taught me how to lead.
As Chairman of Ware Malcomb, and as a practicing artist, I’ve discovered that the best leaders don’t just execute a vision, they layer innovation, approach and strategy. Just as an architect draws from engineering, art, psychology, and culture to shape a great building, a modern leader must integrate strategy, creativity, empathy, and execution to build a great organization.
I call it Layered Leadership, a method, a mindset, and a metaphor for anyone seeking to lead in today’s complex world.
Why Leadership Needs Layers
Leadership isn’t linear. It doesn’t live in a job title or a bullet-point strategy.
True leadership is multi-dimensional. It pulls from experience, inspiration, instinct, and intelligence. It adapts to the moment without losing sight of the mission. Like a great painting or a well-structured building, its strength lies in the layers you can’t always see but always feel.
When I reflect on my time guiding Ware Malcomb through decades of growth, I don’t think of a single strategy. I think of an evolving canvas, each decision, each person, each risk adding new dimension and resilience to the whole.
From Studio to Strategy: Creativity at the Core
Many people see art and business as separate disciplines. I don’t. In fact, I think the synthesis of disparate skills and influences leads to better, more sustainable results.
In my sculptural painting Gestalt, layers of steel panels extend beyond the frame—just as leaders must push beyond traditional limits. It’s a reminder that bold vision, when layered with discipline and execution, leads to real innovation. Whether in the studio or the boardroom, the challenge is the same: How do you transform pieces into a powerful whole?
Finding Flashes of Light
Some of my biggest breakthroughs didn’t happen in boardrooms. They happened in moments of quiet observation, a sunrise, a lyric, a conversation, or even a beam of light across a building site.
I call these moments “flashes of light.” They disrupt. They clarify. They often arrive when we’re open enough to receive them.
One such moment occurred during my childhood, when our new family home was constructed. Watching that structure take form ignited my fascination with construction and, eventually, led me to studying it at Kent State University. Years later, flashes of light illuminated critical strategic directions that guided our business to national prominence.
These flashes of light still guide me, whether I’m leading a team, mentoring a new architect, or navigating personal reinvention.
Lead Like Da Vinci
My greatest leadership mentor never led a company. His name was Leonardo.
Leonardo da Vinci modeled whole-brain leadership centuries before we had a term for it. He was a painter, engineer, scientist, and observer of life. He didn’t separate curiosity from precision or wonder from rigor. And neither should we.
When leaders integrate both technical and human insight, the results are extraordinary. You can build companies that perform and cultures that last. You can lead with strength and softness. With vision and discipline. That’s the layered mindset I believe today’s world demands.
Try This: A Leadership Exercise That Works
Want to practice Layered Leadership? Take 20 minutes this week to start your own “Exploration Sketchbook.” Reflect on these five questions:
This isn’t about journaling for journaling’s sake. It’s about uncovering the deeper textures of how you lead and how you could lead better.
The Final Word: Build Something Worth Layering
Whether you’re scaling a startup, steering a firm through change, or mentoring the next generation, remember this: Great leadership isn’t built all at once. It’s layered over time.
Each layer—vision, strategy, failure, feedback, growth, empathy—builds a more resilient and meaningful whole. The more intentionally you layer, the more clearly your leadership will be felt by others.
If you’re ready to explore this concept more deeply and see how business, architecture, art, and strategy intersect, I invite you to read Layered Leadership.
Available now wherever books are sold.