Inside this month’s issue:
- An expensive intellectual property lesson
- Starting January with a guided visualisation and reflection session
- A new Mental Health for Managers course!
What’s been happening?
I think I’m in the last week of being able to say ’Happy New Year’ -so there it is! And it will be a better new year for Wendy at Garrett Learning as I learnt a very expensive lesson and a £405 fee attached to it the week before Christmas!
There are lessons you learn from books, lessons you learn from mentors… and lessons that arrive via an email subject line that makes your stomach drop. This is one of those…and I’m sharing this so you don’t make the same mistake as me…
Here’s the backstory (a.k.a. how I learned the hard way!)… In my July 2025 newsletter (https://www.garrettlearning.co.uk/2025/07/07/july-2025-mental-health-guidance-for-leaders/) I wrote about a moment I genuinely loved in sport: a Formula 1 driver finally getting a podium finish after 17 years of racing. I thought about the connection of determination and resilience of Nico Hülkenberg as he has showed up season after season and just kept going!
I shared his achievement and story. I shared a photo that I thought I had permission to use….
…and now I share my lesson.
I didn’t buy the photo licence as I thought referencing the website I took it from would be ok. I wasn’t claiming that the image was mine. Naive, maybe, I was aware I couldn’t just use the image as my own ‘work’, however I have later learned that the image was licensed for editorial use only.
The initial fine was just over £600 for an image I could have purchased for £24 (If I had of realised this!). After a lot of back-and-forth emails, explanations, and me submitting a bank statement showing I was overdrawn that month, the fine was reduced to £405.
Here’s where the irony really kicks in. I wrote about resilience in a management role, and suddenly I needed quite a lot of it myself.
Not the glamorous, podium-standing kind, but the quiet, slightly embarrassing and admin-heavy kind.
Here’s the lesson from me to you (so you don’t make the same mistake)
If you use images in your:
- newsletters
- blogs
- social media posts
- websites
Always check the licence.
- Is it editorial use only?
- Does it allow commercial use?
If you’re thinking, “It’ll probably be fine”, don’t be like Wendy… that’s your cue to stop and double-check! A genuine mistake is still a mistake
This wasn’t malicious. It wasn’t intentional. It wasn’t me trying to cut corners. However it was my responsibility.
And while it’s unfortunate (and expensive!), it’s not a mistake I’m taking into 2026 and feel it’s important to share this lesson with you.
- Be meticulous with image licensing
- Don’t assume editorial = free
- Protect your future self from awkward emails and unexpected invoices
- Save yourself some time
Moving forward, resiliently of course! I paid the £405. I took a deep breath and I moved on.
Because resilience isn’t just about big career moments or sporting milestones, sometimes it’s about owning the error, fixing what you can and doing better next time.
If this saves one person from making the same mistake, then consider this fine officially repurposed as a public service announcement!
You’re welcome.
Signing out from a slightly poorer, but much wiser, Wendy Garrett
What’s coming up?
Quite appropriately timed, On Monday 12th January at 13:00 for 50 minutes we have a micro learn session on ‘Confidently setting up for the year ahead’ with Sarah Snape Coaching where Sarah will be taking us through a visualisation and reflection activity.
Want to get involved:
- Use your free pass – email wendy@garrettlearning.co.uk
- Join our growing community of positive, passionate and enthusiastic members for £20 per month. No contract.
- Join us for a one-time session for £35.
Find out more at: https://www.garrettlearning.co.uk/services/workplace-well-being-champion/
What’s new?
Over at MHFA England, there is a new updated version of Mental Health Skills for Managers.
A mentally healthy, productive workplace is built on trust, understanding and supportive relationships between managers and their teams.
When wellbeing is embedded into leadership, people feel valued, supported and empowered to do their best work.
Equipping leaders and managers with the right knowledge and practical tools enables them to confidently support mental health and wellbeing in the workplace.
As a former people manager and working as an independent MHFA England Instructor for the last 8 years, the Mental Health Skills for Managers programme helps managers develop the skills to have open, meaningful conversations about mental health, creating the conditions for individuals and teams to thrive.
This four-hour, evidence-based training offers a consistent approach to mental health and wellbeing, promoting healthy performance across the entire organisation.
Ideal for people managers, the course supports the creation of an open, supportive workplace culture where mental health and wellbeing are prioritised.
By the end of the four-hour online course, you will be able to:
1) Describe mental health and the impact of stress on employees in the workplace
2) Identify if a team member may be experiencing poor mental health
3) Confidently have open conversations about mental health at work
4) Respond empathetically to challenging situations related to mental health in the workplace
5) Appropriately signpost your team members to available support
6) Describe what support and guidance is available for yourself and your employees and how to access it.
The RRP is £160, however, if you’d like to join the programme on Thursday 29th January 2026, Course time: 13:00-17:00 you can join us for £100, please pay here: https://buy.stripe.com/6oU4gzfKy5sz999fp77Re0M
Garrett Learning creates welcoming, memorable, and learner-focused learning experiences to reach individual and business goals. Book a discovery call with us to see how Garrett Learning ( www.garrettlearning.co.uk ) can help:
- People Manager Coaching
- Leadership and development sessions
- MHFA England Programmes Open courses
- Lunch and learn bitesize workshops
- Become a Workplace Wellbeing Champion
- Bespoke training
Book a chat with Wendy here: https://scheduler.zoom.us/garrettlearning/1-1-cuppa-and-chat
We (Wendy and her growing team!) are here for you when you need us. We are here to hear you! We are kind in nature and open to hearing everyone’s point of view. Our training and overall learning experiences are built to ensure you feel comfortable and can be yourself.
If you want to discuss your future plans, I’d love to hear them! Get in touch!
m: 07859 878 599
c: https://scheduler.zoom.us/garrettlearning/1-1-cuppa-and-chat
l: www.linkedin.com/in/wendy-garrett-7522bb50/
f: www.facebook.com/GarrettLearning
i: www.instagram.com/garrettlearning
t: www.tiktok.com/@garrettlearning
