From Thinking to Feeling: Leading in Integrity with Design Leader Benedikt Lehnert

What does it really mean to lead with integrity? And how do we move beyond external expectations and comparison to fully trust and be ourselves?In this conversation with Benedikt Lehnert—a seasoned design executive whose career spans startups to Fortune 10 big tech, including Microsoft and SAP—we explore what it means to shift from thinking our way to answers to feeling our way into alignment. Ben shares his journey of leaving external validation behind to reconnect with his core truth. We explore the inner work leadership requires today.We also discuss the concept of “openings”—moments that wake us up and invite us to release old ways of operating, even when it’s uncomfortable. I share how to spot, understand, and move through these openings with intention.Finally, we explore the intersection of entrepreneurship, humanistic design, business leadership, and intuition—and why, as industries and systems crumble, our willingness to step into alignment is not just personal but collective.If you’ve felt like you’re being asked to step into a new way of leading—both in work and life—this episode will help you trust that process.Get in touch with Benedikt Lehnert: https://benediktlehnert.github.io/Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/benediktlehnert/Substack: https://benediktlehnert.substack.com/Get in touch with Lizzie Azzolino:https://www.workwithlizzie.com/Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lizzieazzolino/Instagram https://www.instagram.com/lizzie_azzolino/