Infuse Compassion

Infuse Compassion

By Amy Quesenberry & Mark CarpenterBusinessEducationSelf-Improvement
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Infuse Compassion episodes

  • E91: Deep Listening With Oscar Trimboli

    Deep listening changes not just how we hear others, but how we relate to ourselves. In this episode of the Infuse Compassion podcast, Amy and Mark talk with Oscar Trimboli, host of the “Deep Listening” podcast and author of “How to Listen,” about what it means to listen beyond the words.

    Oscar defines deep listening as hearing what isn’t being said as much as what is—and explains why it starts with listening to yourself, just as compassion starts with self-compassion. He shares how our brains think at 900 words per minute while people speak at about 125 wpm, and how that gap leads us to jump ahead in conversations.
    In this conversation, you’ll learn:
    - Why the goal of listening is not to understand others, but to help them understand themselves
    - A simple question to ask yourself before and during conversations: “What would make this a productive conversation?”
    - Why great listening happens in the space between speaker and listener
    Oscar’s insights offer practical ways to slow down, stay present, and create more meaningful, compassionate connections.
    Oscar Trimboli is an award-winning author, host of the Apple award-winning podcast Deep Listening and a sought-after keynote speaker.
    His third book is “how to listen – discover the hidden key to better communication” – the most comprehensive book about listening in the workplace.
    Along with the Deep Listening Ambassador Community, he is on a quest to create 100 million deep listeners in the workplace.
    Through his work with chairs, boards of directors, and executive teams, Oscar has experienced firsthand the transformational impact leaders can have when they listen beyond words.
    Learn to listen better:
    https://oscartrimboli.com/howtolisten
    www.listeningquiz.com

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    41 min
  • E90: Intentional Leadership: Reflections on Coach Jim Johnson

    Compassionate leadership doesn’t happen by accident. It requires intentionality.

    Join Amy and Mark in this episode as they reflect on the stirring conversation from last week’s episode with Coach Jim Johnson. We highlight some of our favorite principles that Coach Jim shared, including:
    • The importance of knowing the people you serve as individuals.
    • The power of clarity in communication and correcting with kindness.
    • How establishing daily non-negotiables helps keep you grounded in who you are.
    Compassionate leadership creates stronger teams and better outcomes. Listen in as we discuss how being intentional about leading in accordance with your values is not only possible, but essential, in today’s world.
    Coach Jim Johnson is a basketball coach and professional speaker who speaks on realizing dreams, teamwork, and sportsmanship. He is the author of the book “A Coach and a Miracle”, which is based on a decision he made and a promise he kept in 2006 while coaching Greece Athena’s high school basketball team in upstate New York. Some of you may have seen the video and remember the story of J-Mac, who was the team’s manager that year and played in the final miraculous game of the season.
    Coach Johnson has received numerous coach of the year honors and was presented with a National Sportsmanship Award. He’s known for turning struggling progams into winners, but more importantly, building young men with a winning foundation for life. He retired from coaching in 2015 and has rolled his accomplishments and experiences into two speaking presentations, “Dreams Really Do Come True” and “Leadership Lessons from Half-Court”.
    Website: coachjimjohnson.com
    Twitter/X: https://twitter.com/CoachJimJohnson
    LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/coachjimjohnson/
    Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CoachJimJohnson
    Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/coachjimjohnson/

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    32 min
  • E89: How to Lead Responsibly with Coach Jim Johnson

    Leadership lessons don’t always come from the office. This week’s Infuse Compassion guest shares leadership principles he learned up close on the basketball court and in the locker room.

    Coach Jim Johnson was at the heart of a miraculous moment that became a phenomenon 20 years ago as the coach of Greece Athena’s boys high school basketball team. You may remember the story and YouTube video of “J-Mac” but you probably don’t know the backstory and the leadership lessons learned from that experience.
    Listen in to our conversation where you’ll hear:
    • The importance of leaders knowing who they are and having a personal mission.
    • The power of specific praise in connecting with your team so you can correct as needed.
    • Coach Jim’s seven keys to effective leadership that you can apply in any leadership role.
    You’ll be inspired and informed by our conversation to look for ways to strengthen your team by applying Coach’s proven leadership skills.
    Coach Jim Johnson is a basketball coach and professional speaker who speaks on realizing dreams, teamwork, and sportsmanship. He is the author of the book “A Coach and a Miracle”, which is based on a decision he made and a promise he kept in 2006 while coaching Greece Athena’s high school basketball team in upstate New York. Some of you may have seen the video and remember the story of J-Mac, who was the team’s manager that year and played in the final miraculous game of the season.
    Coach Johnson has received numerous coach of the year honors and was presented with a National Sportsmanship Award. He’s known for turning struggling progams into winners, but more importantly, building young men with a winning foundation for life. He retired from coaching in 2015 and has rolled his accomplishments and experiences into two speaking presentations, “Dreams Really Do Come True” and “Leadership Lessons from Half-Court”.
    Contact Coach Jim:
    Website: coachjimjohnson.com
    Twitter/X: https://twitter.com/CoachJimJohnson
    LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/coachjimjohnson/
    Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CoachJimJohnson
    Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/coachjimjohnson/

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    37 min
  • E88: True Leadership is Kind: Reflections on Cindy Smarsh

    Kindness and leadership – true leadership – go hand in hand. In this episode of the Infuse Compassion podcast, Amy and Mark discuss what we learned and how we were inspired by our conversation in last week’s episode with Cindy Smarsh, creator of the K.I.N.D.N.E.S.S. Code.

    Listen in as we share our examples of the key principles of the K.I.N.D.N.E.S.S. Code and how you can apply the principles in your leadership and life. Listen in as we discuss:
    • The power and importance of listening as a key factor in communication.
    • How kindness includes making tough decisions and holding people accountable.
    • The multitude of reasons leadership requires knowing your team members personally.
    Join the conversation and consider how you can benefit from applying principles of kindness to your leadership.
    Cindy Smarsh has been counseling, coaching, speaking, and writing for over 35 years helping people create meaningful lives personally and professionally. Most recently, Cindy followed an inspiration to become a workplace wellbeing expert who teaches kindness-based initiatives to people in leadership positions. She found a plethora of research backing the validity of creating a wellness-focused culture in corporations to increase employee engagement, improve productivity, raise employee satisfaction and retention, decrease team conflict, enhance morale, save time & money, and drive collective success.
    Based on her findings, she created The K.I.N.D.N.E.S.S. Code™ a framework for up leveling the skillsets of professionals companywide to build a culture where everyone can thrive. She is on a mission to support people from all walks of life to be healthy and joy-filled with meaningful, impactful lives. She believes together we can make the world a better place and is determined to use what she has been given to make that possible.
    Contact Cindy:
    Website: cindysmarsh.com;
    LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/thekindnesscode/;
    YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCbmX1Iyas873jLCale6MjBw;

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    34 min
  • E87: Exercise the Kindess Code with Cindy Smarsh

    Kindness in business is sometimes considered soft, even fluffy. But this week’s Infuse Compassion podcast guest sees it differently.

    Cindy Smarsh has done the research to “crack the code” for successful business leadership, and she found that kindness is the key. Listen in as Cindy shares how she developed the K.I.N.D.N.E.S.S. Code, eight components that improve leadership, strengthen teams, and lead to serious business outcomes.
    In this episode you’ll learn:
    • The one factor that 92% of employees say will keep them at their job and their company.
    • An overview of the K.I.N.D.N.E.S.S. Code and how it is the key to organizational and team success.
    • Examples of how kindness improves business outcomes.
    Join us for an inside look at how you can access the code to leadership effectiveness and business success.
    Cindy Smarsh has been counseling, coaching, speaking, and writing for over 35 years helping people create meaningful lives personally and professionally. Most recently, Cindy followed an inspiration to become a workplace wellbeing expert who teaches kindness-based initiatives to people in leadership positions. She found a plethora of research backing the validity of creating a wellness-focused culture in corporations to increase employee engagement, improve productivity, raise employee satisfaction and retention, decrease team conflict, enhance morale, save time & money, and drive collective success.
    Based on her findings, she created The K.I.N.D.N.E.S.S. Code™ a framework for up leveling the skillsets of professionals companywide to build a culture where everyone can thrive. She is on a mission to support people from all walks of life to be healthy and joy-filled with meaningful, impactful lives. She believes together we can make the world a better place and is determined to use what she has been given to make that possible.
    Contact your favorite Smarshmallow:
    Website: cindysmarsh.com;
    LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/thekindnesscode/;
    YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCbmX1Iyas873jLCale6MjBw;

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    37 min
  • E86: Whole Self Leadership: Reflections on Liz Watt

    Leadership begins from the inside. Amy and Mark focus on the concept of “whole-self leadership” that Liz Watt shared with us in our last episode. We talk about key points of Liz’s THRIVE framework and how they tie to infusing compassion into the world.

    Join us as we discuss:
    - The power behind some of the questions Liz suggested as part of her THRIVE framework.
    - What gets in the way of following our promptings to serve others.
    - How caring for yourself increases your capacity to create and discover options.
    Listen in and consider how you can apply THRIVE to your life and build your own “whole-self leadership” personally and professionally.
    Elizabeth Ann Watt is a dynamic leader, holistic wellness expert, and CEO. She is dedicated to empowering others to live their fullest potential. As a multi best seller author, public speaker, and podcast host, Liz uses her voice to inspire positive change, sharing her life’s mission to uplift and serve others. Together with her husband of over 33 years, she coordinates Utah’s largest natural health and wellness conference, helping her community embrace proactive, natural health. A mother of six, Liz lives by her motto, “Live today to bless others tomorrow,” making each moment purposeful in her journey to impact the world for the better.
    Contact Liz:
    ElizabethAnnWatt.com (free 7-day wellness journey)
    BeHealthyUtah.com

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    33 min
  • E85: How to THRIVE with Liz Watt

    What does it look like to thrive? In this episode of the Infuse Compassion podcast, Amy and Mark talk with author and speaker Liz Watt, co-creator of the “Be Healthy Utah” conference and the creator of the THRIVE framework about her journey through her own health challenges that led to her mission to help others.

    In this conversation, you’ll learn:
    - The THRIVE framework -- Team, Health, Resilience, Invest in Growth, Value People, and Elevate – and how to apply each step.
    - How some simple questions can help keep you on track with the THRIVE framework.
    - The importance of starting with your own health to enable you to more effectively serve others
    - How whole-self leadership helps you show up better—for yourself, your team, and your customers
    Liz’s message is powerful for individuals as well as leaders. Listen in to learn how you can honor your own well-being and you expand your capacity to lift and serve others.
    Elizabeth Ann Watt is a dynamic leader, holistic wellness expert, and CEO. She is dedicated to empowering others to live their fullest potential. As a multi best seller author, public speaker, and podcast host, Liz uses her voice to inspire positive change, sharing her life’s mission to uplift and serve others. Together with her husband of over 33 years, she coordinates Utah’s largest natural health and wellness conference, helping her community embrace proactive, natural health. A mother of six, Liz lives by her motto, “Live today to bless others tomorrow,” making each moment purposeful in her journey to impact the world for the better.
    Contact Liz:
    ElizabethAnnWatt.com (free 7-day wellness journey)
    BeHealthyUtah.com

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    37 min
  • E84: Look Up to Connect: Reflections from Talmage Erickson

    You can’t see people without looking up. And one of the biggest factors pulling our eyes down is often in our own hands. In this episode, Amy and Mark reflect on our conversation with Talmage Erickson, one of “The Screen Guys,” and his mission to infuse compassion by connecting outside of technology.

    We talk about our own experiences and efforts to reduce screen time, and the negative impact we’ve seen when people get lost in their technology. Listen in and join our discussion on:
    - The potential negative impacts of social media, not just on youth, but on all of us.
    - How Talmage’s efforts tie to Amy’s COMPASSION framework
    - Our ideas to “look up” more and Talmage’s suggestions we like most
    We love Talmage’s new take on FOMO – focus on meaningful opportunities – and invite YOU to join us in a commitment to look up and connect more. Listen to the end for a challenge from Amy, and let us know if you’re joining in!
    Talmage Erickson is a 23-year-old who is taking on the world of screens. He and his father, Jeff Erickson, have come together and started "The Screen Guys." "The Screen Guys" are dedicated to teaching digital discipline in an ever-increasing digital world. They speak at churches, schools, and groups all around the U.S. and specialize in helping you and your family get back to living life beyond the screen.
    Connect with Talmage:
    screenguy.com
    https://www.instagram.com/talmage_erickson/
    [email protected]

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    35 min
  • E83: Disconnect to Connect with Talmage Erickson

    Life beyond the screen is possible—and it’s worth fighting for. This week, Amy and Mark talk with Talmage Erickson, co-creator of “The Screen Guys,” about digital discipline and reclaiming real connection in an always-on world.

    Talmage shares research on how excessive daily screen time affects youth—disrupting sleep, study time, family interactions, and mental health. While technology can be helpful, he explains how constant dopamine hits from devices offer instant gratification without genuine connection, and why true well-being comes from looking up and engaging with real life.
    In this conversation, you’ll learn:
    - Why parents’ tech habits shape how kids use technology
    - The SCREEN framework to reduce screen time: Schedule, Codes, Rest, Everyone, Easy, Nights and Nevers
    - How to reframe FOMO from “fear of missing out” into “focus on meaningful opportunities” by looking up from the screen and being more present
    Listen in as Talmage shines a light on an issue we know exists but don’t always know what to do about. Learn how you can help create a world of more connection in our digital age.
    Talmage Erickson is a 23-year-old who is taking on the world of screens. He and his father, Jeff Erickson, have come together and started "The Screen Guys." "The Screen Guys" are dedicated to teaching digital discipline in an ever-increasing digital world. They speak at churches, schools, and groups all around the U.S. and specialize in helping you and your family get back to living life beyond the screen.
    Connect with Talmage:
     @Screen_Guys 
    screenguy.com
    https://www.instagram.com/talmage_erickson/
    [email protected]

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    40 min
  • E82: Align With Intention: Reflections on Jen Pestikas

    Your body will speak to you – first in a whisper, then in a shout -- that your work is out of alignment with your purpose. In this episode of the Infuse Compassion podcast, Amy and Mark reflect on their conversation with Jen Pestikas, founder of Brave Women at Work, and share their own stories of how their bodies “keep score” when they ignore inner signals.

    They unpack what it feels like physically, mentally, and emotionally when you’re off-purpose—and what shifts when you finally listen. Amy and Mark also explore the fears that surface when considering a career leap, and practical steps to move through those fears with compassion.
    In this conversation, you’ll learn:
    - How to notice the body’s early warning signs that your work is out of alignment
    - Common fears around taking a career leap—and how to face them
    - Ways to find people who build your energy (and gently step back from those who drain it)
    - How to share your positive energy to support others’ dreams
    The episode closes with a challenge: bring intentional, uplifting energy to someone this week as a way to infuse compassion.
    Jennifer Pestikas is an executive with over 20 years of experience in the financial services industry. She is currently the Chief Experience Officer of a Chicagoland financial institution. Jen understands the necessary skills to make significant leaps in your career, including mindset, asking for what you want, interviewing skills, the ability to negotiate, professional presence and more.
    In addition to her corporate work, Jen leverages her experience with her personal company, Brave Women at Work. At Brave Women at Work, Jen offers individual and group executive and leadership coaching for women. She helps her clients better identify their strengths, what they want, what is holding them back and how to remove these barriers so they can take bolder and braver action in their careers.
    Contact Jen:
    Bravewomenatwork.com
    Jenniferpestikas.com
    https://www.linkedin.com/in/jenniferpestikas/
    Search for “Brave Women at Work” on Amazon to find the books in Jen’s series

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    37 min

About Infuse Compassion

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Infuse Compassion, a podcast hosted by Amy Quesenberry and Mark Carpenter, explores the transformative power of compassion in both professional and personal spheres.