Designs on Learning Ltd

01/05/2026

Two days at the Excel in London for 2026 and it was fab! I was privileged to sit on a panel for a Mindtools session on leadership, skills and performance. I attended many great sessions, met up with loads of people I know, met a few new ones - and forgot to take any photos! Fortunately someone shared this one!

29/04/2026

Early start today as I head off to the Excel for Learning Technologies 2026. It’s going to be a packed couple of days! If you’re there and fancy a catch-up give me a shout!

13/04/2026

Want to find out more about A Manager's Guide to Self-development? I'll be at both the conference and exhibition at Learning Technologies on both 29th and 30th April and would be happy to chat. I'm also on a Mindtools panel on 29th at 12.30 in seminar theatre 7.

19/03/2026

Thinking of purchasing A Manager's Guide to Self-development (ed 7), the new edition of a classic that I've co-authored with 2 of the original 3 authors and 2 other colleagues? Amazon are offering a 14% discount. This brings the paperback down to £26.67 from £30.99 (shipped free) if you purchase it direct from the publisher. Amazon also has the Kindle edition for £22.79.

The book is designed to help you as a manager or leader audit your current skills and qualities, then encourages you to dip in and out of the 56 activities that are mapped to the 11 qualities. Examples in the image here. We made space to let you write into the book itself so the Kindle edition may not be the best option. I'm particularly pleased with the activities on Action Learning and Stress Management. The latter takes a strategic view, encouraging you to look at the underlying causes of workplace stress and do something about them, rather than expecting employees to improve their own wellbeing.

Have a look and let me know what you think.

15/02/2026

It was great to see so many friends and colleagues at Henley Business School at the end of January when we launched our new book, A Manager's Guide to Self-development 7th edition. Trudi. wife of the late John Burgoyne, provided a cake, Henley provided afternoon tea (more cake!) and the 5 authors reminisced with guests about the history of the book and how we got to the new edition. Guests received a complimentary copy of the book.

If you're interested in finding out more, it's available on Amazon and from the publisher's Routledge.

07/01/2026

I'm on a podcast again! This time Mike Pedler and I are talking to Mindtools' Ross Dickie about the new edition of A Manager's Guide to Self-development.

Read more and listen here: https://www.linkedin.com/posts/joankeevill_mindtools-managerdevelopment-selfdevelopment-activity-7414578672772538368-hDFi?utm_source=share&utm_medium=member_desktop&rcm=ACoAAAARI6QB3HkNgFhQWDTi6APtfaIPaB97a4I

23/12/2025

Wishing clients, followers and friends a happy Christmas with best wishes for the new year (when it comes)!

03/12/2025

Today is a special day!

Back in 2023, to celebrate the life of the esteemed co-author of A Manager's Guide to Self-development (John Burgoyne) a group of us got together with the two remaining authors (Mike Pedler and Tom Boydell) and agreed we'd create a 7th edition and dedicate it to John. It was something he'd wanted to do but in the end his health failed him.

Two and a half years later, the new edition arrived today! The concept of the 11 qualities of leaders and managers remains the same, but the opening and closing chapters, plus the majority of the 56 activities have been revised, updated and sometimes rewritten to help the target audience develop the skills they need today.

I appreciate it's not the same as starting with a blank sheet of paper, but we had to make sure to honour the original concept while creating something new. It took many, many hours but worth it in the end!

You can find out more about it here: https://www.routledge.com/A-Managers-Guide-to-Self-development/Pedler-Burgoyne-Boydell-Keevill-Roe-Stewart/p/book/9781032948805

Image shows Joan holding a copy of the new book.

21/11/2025

I'm going to be a published author!!!

I posted about this on the Linkedin platform - read all about it!

What does it take to write a management and leadership development book? A lot of hard work, collaboration and not a little inspiration! 😀 I’m pleased to say that the book I’ve been working on with my co-authors, Mike Pedler, Tom Boydell, Kevin Roe and Jean-Anne Stewart, has now gone to print...

18/11/2025

Really enjoyed all the in person meetings with people in my personal network at on Friday. Great keynotes and interesting panel discussions with movers and shakers in the industry. Also good to meet some new faces! If you're not already a member of the Learning Network, I urge you to join!