From one of the world’s most successful global leaders in architecture and design, discover a holistic, humanist approach to leadership centering on an unwavering commitment to developing well-rounded leaders within any organization.

Larry Armstrong didn’t just want to build a great company within his industry; he wanted to build a great company, period. And under Larry’s creative, layer-based leadership approach, Ware Malcomb has become a global leader in the industrial building sector—one of the world’s most successful and admired businesses of its kind.

Central to this success is a firm commitment to developing and training well-rounded leaders. Larry’s vision for competitive excellence is animated by investing in and caring about the development of the whole person and their surrounding community. Now, in Layered Leadership, Larry distills the secrets and internal processes of Ware Malcomb’s “whole brain leadership” culture and its fearless Strategic Growth strategy, teaching companies of all kinds how to:


Synthesize influences, metaphors, and life lessons into a style of leadership
Build a mentoring culture that coaches and supports rising leaders
Protect executive time for creative work
Drive consistent growth through up and down economic cycles
Find your formula for greatness and deploy it to attract, keep, and expand business
Implement succession strategies that stick


When people can bring their whole selves to work, cultivate their diverse capabilities, and identify their best career opportunities, they’re on the path to becoming great leaders—and building a surrounding culture of success. An accessible handbook featuring illustrations by Larry, also an accomplished artist, Layered Leadership is an evidence-based guide to raising leaders who will prove instrumental to all kinds of companies’ success.