Profile: Gina Gardiner

Taking a look at a key Collaborator in the community.

Gina Gardiner

Who is Gina Gardiner?

I’m a sister to an amazing woman and sisterin-law to a lovely man, aunt to my sisters son and my brother’s 5 children, (sadly my brother David died very suddenly 10 years ago), great aunty to 9 and godmother to 8 and slave to Leo the cat (at least that’s his expectation!).

I have many great friends and consider myself to be very blessed. I have learned to look for the gift in life even when it is challenging.

There is only one me – I’m optimistic, positive and passionate about what I do. I have a very strong sense of purpose and I’m pretty determined. My mum used to say bloody minded.

I love speaking, writing, gardening, traveling, live theatre, doing new things. I love my work however I have a rather challenging relationship with technology!

What fills you with joy?

So many things – the moon through the trees, a beautiful sunset, the natural world and working in my garden. Being with family and friends, travel, exploring new things, music, laughter, seeing clients become empowered and independent and CAKE!!!

What is your reason for BEing? Or in other words what are you passionate about?

I am passionate about my work which is to support people, so they become the leaders of their own life. Personal empowerment and Enlightened Leadership are at the heart of what I do and who I am.

I have a mission: – To positively impact on a million people in the next 5 years through the development of Enlightened Leadership, supporting the development of leaders who will lead with integrity, compassion and the courage to do what is right.

I believe that Enlightened Leaders have a vital role as we move into a new era of consciousness – to become the spiritual matriarchs and patriarchs of the future.

It gives me huge pleasure to watch people grow in confidence and self-belief and unlock their full potential.

If you could choose one Collaboration Global behaviour or value that you identify with what might that be?

I’d choose LOVE. There are many people who would assume this focuses on the love you have for a partner, child, or a parent. They may believe that there is no place for love in business, that love is pink and fluffy. My view is very different.

Living from a place of love is at the opposite end of the spectrum to coming from a place of fear, the decisions you make are going to be very different.

The reality is that most of us move up and down the spectrum according to the situation. However, we each have a default setting – the place we spend most of our time. Shift the setting and you change the quality of your life. Fear closes things down; it makes us play small.

Those who live towards the fear end of the spectrum will tend to live in the past or be anxious about the future. Their ‘present moment’ is taken up with regret or worry, this spoils any chance of sustained happiness and fulfilment.

Love is very different and has so many aspects, so I’ll share just a few:

Every relationship you have with others is a reflection of the relationship you have with yourself.

Loving who you are (wobbly bits and all) means you have the confidence to create and maintain loving but firm boundaries, to step out of your comfort zone, to use your authentic voice, to look for the best in others and to

develop resilience and hope in challenging circumstances.

Love of others means you demand the best of them, you see their potential and believe in them. You have high expectations, support them, challenge them and hold them to account. This is true for family, friends and colleagues etc. When people know you really care they will take on tough developmental feedback because they know you only have their best interests at heart.

Love for others (even those you don’t know) facilitates kindness, compassion, and care. Rather than fearing those who are different, coming from a place of love means you recognise we are all connected and that even when you don’t agree you can still find a way forward.

Being of service and helping others becomes a way of being – the result – both the recipient and the giver are richer for the experience.

Love of nature, the environment will be what makes the difference to whether this amazing planet we live in will sustain the human race in the future.

The decisions we each make day by day will decide. Our choice!

Love of learning – we are card carrying students of life. We are the common denominator we take with ourselves every moment of every day. Every situation offers us the opportunity to learn or not.

Being mindful, curious, courageous, prepared to try new things and see failure as an opportunity to learn, ready to explore and grab the opportunities which present themselves come from living from a place of love.

You are a founding member of Collaboration Global, can you share what your experience has been since you joined?

Collaboration Global is a unique organisation with values which are absolutely in tune with my own. Meetings give me the opportunity to fill up my batteries, to explore and share ideas, to challenge my thinking, to find a group of people who are as passionate as I am about what they do and making a positive difference in the world. It is a place I feel safe to be me – to be vulnerable and know I will not be judged. A place where deep thought and laughter sit cheek by jowl. Led by incredible people for incredible people!

This issue of The Quest has focused on ‘Renewal and Growth’, how do you imagine that this will manifest in your life?

Renewal and growth are an ongoing feature of my life – In my professional life I have reinvented myself and what I do several times, it is a process which is ongoing.

I am continuously outside my comfort zone learning and embracing new technology. Who would have thought just over two years ago when I first started my second business – Genuinely You Ltd that I would have flown out to LA to make a TV series, have made over 200 videos, been interviewed on over 100 podcasts and radio shows, and created numerous substantial online programmes. Prior to this being in front of a camera turned me into a gibbering wreck.

There has been tremendous growth as I have gained the confidence and expertise required to achieve my goals. I’m constantly learning about the ‘stuff’ I need to do in order to move forward and I continue to do the deep inner work on myself.

Whilst technology continues to be a challenge, I have discovered that persistence and tenacity combined with copious amounts of tea and cake as I look back, I realise I’ve made tremendous progress. I see each day as a renewal – an opportunity to make it the best day it can be. Not always easy, particularly over the last year. When I’ve had a knock back, I’ve focussed on what I can do rather than what I can’t and on achieving my purpose with renewed energy. Having a great sense of purpose is hugely helpful, it offers me light and a reason to get up and get going on even the darkest days.

Being out in nature or in my garden gives me the opportunity to ground myself, to feel renewed and regenerated – note to self- to do it more often!

Are you free to operate within your Genius? What does that mean for you?

I think we are all free to operate within our genius when we get out of our own way. I feel so fortunate that have had the opportunity to share my genius in so many ways as a teacher, writer, speaker, coach, trainer and mentor. I love my work and feel privileged that I can make a positive difference in so many ways to others.

What vision do you have for your business and your life going forward within the Collaboration Global community?

I believe that Genuinely You Ltd will become a successful, global organisation with close ties to Collaboration Global and the people within it.

Life is complicated and the pace of change has never been greater. Those who are isolated or who work in silo’s are far less likely to create or maintain the positive advantage. I believe wholeheartedly that collaboration is vital if businesses are to thrive as it offers the opportunity to harness the combined expertise, experience, skills and enthusiasms of those involved.

I believe that as The Enlightened Leadership Programme grows, Collaboration Global will become a natural part of participants development.

If someone is interested in getting involved with our Collaboration Global community, from your perspective what might they expect when they get there?

Don’t expect 60 second elevator pitches or a greasy cooked breakfast. Don’t expect trivial conversation about the weather, the footy or how difficult life is. Don’t expect to sit on the side-lines and simply be an observer.

You can expect the meetings will be well planned, well led and supported. Gill and her team do a grand job and members are invited to present and lead sections of the meeting. You can expect to meet members who are a great bunch of people who are passionate about what they do, keen to learn and to share. You can expect to learn about members of the group – I mean really learn about them and what makes them tick. You can expect a range of activities which make you think outside the box, reassess your beliefs and approach to life in a thoroughly enjoyable way. Outside the meetings there are lots of other opportunities to learn new skills and engage with other members experience and expertise. There are social activities too.

You can expect to get out of the group what you put into it and find support and friendship, a place for both renewal and for growth.

Thank you, Gina, for being one of our central pillars of collaboration and a truly enlightened leader.

You can contact Gina at:

Email: georgina.gardiner@gmail.com Telephone: 01206 230497 Website: www.genuinely-you.com