Gina Gardiner Associates
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2025-08-31 - The Day I Realised that Meetings Could Save Time (Not Waste It)
If you groaned just reading the word "meeting," I understand. I used to groan too.
Like many leaders, I spent hours each week in long, draining meetings that seemed to generate more frustration than solutions. Everyone spoke, but little changed. It often felt like we were rearranging deckchairs on a ship that was already moving in circles.
I thought of the true cost of the time spent in meetings and knew things must change. I decided to approach meetings differently. Instead of asking, "What do we need to discuss?" I asked, "What would make this meeting truly valuable for everyone in the room?"
That shift changed everything.
Agendas became more focused, and we identified how best to share information efficiently so staff were well prepared. The decision-making process was significantly more effective so we spent significantly less time in meetings. Slowly but surely, meetings became seen as a vital and enjoyable activity. People showed up ready to contribute. We were actually left with more time in the day, not less.
Here's what I learned:
Meetings don't have to be the bane of leadership. In fact, when they're intentional, they become one of the most powerful tools for alignment, trust, and momentum.
So the next time you walk into a meeting, pause and ask yourself: How can I give everyone here a gift of time and clarity today?
You might be surprised at how differently the room feels.
Like many leaders, I spent hours each week in long, draining meetings that seemed to generate more frustration than solutions. Everyone spoke, but little changed. It often felt like we were rearranging deckchairs on a ship that was already moving in circles.
I thought of the true cost of the time spent in meetings and knew things must change. I decided to approach meetings differently. Instead of asking, "What do we need to discuss?" I asked, "What would make this meeting truly valuable for everyone in the room?"
That shift changed everything.
Agendas became more focused, and we identified how best to share information efficiently so staff were well prepared. The decision-making process was significantly more effective so we spent significantly less time in meetings. Slowly but surely, meetings became seen as a vital and enjoyable activity. People showed up ready to contribute. We were actually left with more time in the day, not less.
Here's what I learned:
- A meeting without clarity will consume energy instead of creating it.
- People value brevity and focus far more than elaborate presentations.
- When you design a meeting to give people time back, they give you their best energy in return.
Meetings don't have to be the bane of leadership. In fact, when they're intentional, they become one of the most powerful tools for alignment, trust, and momentum.
So the next time you walk into a meeting, pause and ask yourself: How can I give everyone here a gift of time and clarity today?
You might be surprised at how differently the room feels.
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What My Clients Say
"Gina is truly remarkable - quite simply she saved my life and I do not exaggerate that in any way. I knew Gina, although we had never met personally and as yet still haven't, through my work running a 'virtual' office from home. Without going into detail at the beginning of 2010 a number of changes occurred the effects of which were to rip my life as I'd known it to shreds. I neither chose nor wanted any of these sudden changes.
When Gina rang me one morning it was a morning that saw me pacing my office like a caged animal in utter despair. What precisely prompted me to pick up the phone when it rang I don't know because I was distraught, hardly able to speak let alone answer the phone professionally, however, pick up the phone I did and that was the best phone call I have ever taken.
Gina stayed on the phone with me for I believe two hours. She gave me the tools to deal with the immediate distress I was in and thereafter we embarked on weekly, then fortnightly sessions to move me from the place of despair I'd found myself in to where I am now which is a very different place.
It's not been easy, choosing to learn from what has happened can be uncomfortable, painful and sad, but with Gina's help and support it's possible. We all know that bad things happen to everybody all the time, in my particular case it was the sheer number of things that happened so quickly that brought to my knees, literally. I knew I needed help and that help, in the form of Gina, found me just at the right moment.
I am so strong now and I have learnt so much about myself - some nice, and some not so nice. But the journey has been and still is fascinating.
Gina is so kind, never judgemental; she holds a safe space where you can be open and honest. Gina pushes when pushing is needed, supports when support is needed but she gets you there and you never feel like you're battling along on your own. You will make changes, you will be better, (Gina would pick me up on the word 'better' because that indicates that you were somehow bad before) your life will be different. Be prepared for some soul searching but also be prepared to find greatness because we all have greatness within us - sometimes we just forget.
I could talk about Gina forever but suffice it to say she will remain a very special person in my life. Without her - well I don't want to think about that!"
When Gina rang me one morning it was a morning that saw me pacing my office like a caged animal in utter despair. What precisely prompted me to pick up the phone when it rang I don't know because I was distraught, hardly able to speak let alone answer the phone professionally, however, pick up the phone I did and that was the best phone call I have ever taken.
Gina stayed on the phone with me for I believe two hours. She gave me the tools to deal with the immediate distress I was in and thereafter we embarked on weekly, then fortnightly sessions to move me from the place of despair I'd found myself in to where I am now which is a very different place.
It's not been easy, choosing to learn from what has happened can be uncomfortable, painful and sad, but with Gina's help and support it's possible. We all know that bad things happen to everybody all the time, in my particular case it was the sheer number of things that happened so quickly that brought to my knees, literally. I knew I needed help and that help, in the form of Gina, found me just at the right moment.
I am so strong now and I have learnt so much about myself - some nice, and some not so nice. But the journey has been and still is fascinating.
Gina is so kind, never judgemental; she holds a safe space where you can be open and honest. Gina pushes when pushing is needed, supports when support is needed but she gets you there and you never feel like you're battling along on your own. You will make changes, you will be better, (Gina would pick me up on the word 'better' because that indicates that you were somehow bad before) your life will be different. Be prepared for some soul searching but also be prepared to find greatness because we all have greatness within us - sometimes we just forget.
I could talk about Gina forever but suffice it to say she will remain a very special person in my life. Without her - well I don't want to think about that!"
Nina