In this episode of Heart and Graft, Nicky is sharing the ideas that shaped years of designing and delivering workplace learning. We often talk about training as if it’s the same thing as learning, but in reality, they’re not quite the same, and if we want learning to last, we need to create the right conditions for it to happen.

Drawing on her own experience as a trainer, facilitator and learner, Nicky explores what helps adults engage, remember, and apply new ideas at work. From relevance and repetition to curiosity, safety and a little bit of fun, this episode is all about the practical ingredients that make learning more likely to stick.

• Hear why training and learning are not the same thing.

• Learn the practical conditions that help adults feel safe enough to engage.

• Discover why relevance, repetition and enjoyment matter so much in workplace learning.

• Get ideas you can use if you train, facilitate, coach, or support learning at work.

• Hear real stories from years of designing learning that people actually remembered and used.

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In this episode of Heart and Graft, Nicky explores the psychology of affirmations through the lens of motivational interviewing (MI). Drawing on neuroscience, workplace experience, and personal stories, this episode unpacks the difference between saying “thank you”, giving praise, and offering meaningful affirmations that build self-efficacy, and intrinsic motivation. Along the way, Nicky explores: why some feedback disappears into a “black hole”; how well-intentioned managers might being creating 'praise addicts', and how to use affirmations at work.

• Learn the difference between praise, feedback and affirmations
• Understand how motivation really works
• Discover practical ways to build self-efficacy in others
• Explore how affirmations contribute to psychological safety
• Hear real-world examples you can immediately apply in leadership and workplace conversations

Sign up to The Monthly Graft e-news community for additional content, including dealing with 'anticipatory grief' at work.

Joy at work isn’t about forced fun or pretending everything is perfect. It’s about the small, real things that make work feel worth doing: meaningful tasks, supportive relationships, trust, autonomy, and space to breathe. In this episode of Heart and Graft, we explore why joy matters, how it links to engagement and retention, and how job crafting can help people shape work in ways that fit their strengths and energy better.

We also talk about the difference between genuine joy and forced fun, and how leaders can create the conditions where positive moments can happen naturally. If you care about wellbeing, engagement, or creating workplaces where people can be happy, this one is for you.

• Hear how joy at work shows up in everyday moments, not just big gestures.

• Explore why autonomy, meaning, and good relationships matter so much.

• Get practical ideas (job crafting) for making work feel more human and sustainable.

You can find Sam Palmer on LinkedIn, or visit her website Midlife Makeover to subscribe to her newsletters. And if you’d like extra reflections and bonus content, don’t forget to join The Monthly Graft newsletter.