Gill Tiney - Community catalyst
- Isobel Arden
- Jun 7
- 4 min read
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Meet Gill Tiney, a life of people, communication and collaboration.
Gill Tiney didn’t set out to become a professional collaborator. In fact, her early career followed a more traditional route—sales, training, business consultancy—but she quickly realised she was far more interested in people than process, and in community over competition. So she did what any self-aware rebel with a flip chart would do: she started a movement.
She founded Collaboration Global in 2018, after seeing too many brilliant ideas (and people) get stuck because of silo thinking, fear, or a good old-fashioned lack of trust. Gill decided to change that—one awkward Zoom call at a time.
Since then, she’s helped hundreds of coaches, creatives, business owners, and changemakers get out of their own heads and into something more powerful: a purpose-driven community. No fluff. No corporate jargon. Just honest, open collaboration that actually gets stuff done.
Her book, Together We Can Do Something Wonderful, distils her best insights into a readable, real-world guide for anyone who’s tired of solo hustling and ready for something more… human. (It also includes stories about collaborative chickens, but you’ll have to read it to understand.)
Gill is also a sought-after speaker, regularly popping up at conferences, podcasts, and events to challenge how we work, lead and connect. She brings humour, heart, and a refreshing dose of “let’s stop overcomplicating this” to every room she enters.
Whether she’s wrangling a room full of opinionated entrepreneurs or helping artists find their voice in a group project, Gill’s magic lies in getting people to stop trying to do everything alone.
Gill Tiney's Fantasy Cultural Year and This or That game
With a magic wand in one hand, a time machine warmed up, and a Star Trek transporter on standby, Mark sat down with Gill Tiney to imagine her dream cultural year. You can watch the conversation in full above— on YouTube or Spotify or SoundCloud.
What followed was a creative, witty, and globe-trotting journey across networking, collaboration and people.
1. Favourite Places & Feel-Good Reads
Mark and Gill kicked off their conversation by sharing personal favourites.
Gill revealed her love for the Tate Britain in London and her post-gallery tradition: a gin and tonic at a local pub.
She had recently read A Merry Little Christmas by Miranda Hart, describing it as a feel-good story centred on overcoming a debilitating illness.
2. London Foundation Collaboration Opportunity
Mark introduced an exciting proposal to Gill—an expert in collaboration.
A wealthy London-based family foundation offered to support Gill for a year-long global project exploring how societies collaborate.
The initiative would include:
A global league table of collaboration
A TED Talk
A book deal
A TV show
A university lecture tour
Gill suggested starting the journey in Canada due to its collaborative culture, with Vancouver as the launch city.
3. Jazz, Dance & Imaginative Adventures
The pair enjoyed a playful exchange about music and dance.
Gill expressed her love of jazz and admiration for Gene Kelly’s iconic dance style.
Mark imagined a dream experience in Vancouver: Gill attending a surprise dance performance by business students, featuring a tribute to Gene Kelly.
They discussed trying Canadian cuisine, with Mark recommending poutine as the national dish. The conversation closed with a fantasy country hop—destination to be decided.
4. Cultural Values & Global Destinations
Gill voiced her interest in Japan, praising its collaborative culture and the kindness of its people.
She also shared her dream of watching a historic tennis final between Borg, McEnroe, and Connors in 1980.
When prompted to pick a travel destination, Gill chose Australia—citing its cooperative spirit and geographic challenges. Mark backed the idea, suggesting Sydney or Perth as ideal stops.
5. Immersive VR Journeys & Iconic Moments
Mark and Gill delved into the power of virtual reality to reimagine cultural experiences.
Gill wished to step into works by her favourite artists: Suzanne and David Hockney.
They curated a fantasy itinerary using a Magic Wand and Time Machine to attend:
Live Aid (music concert)
A historic play
A musical
An opera
A film screening
They also considered visiting Kenya for a warm embrace with Gill’s colleague based there.
6. Cultural Events & Personal Highlights
Gill and Mark explored their shared love of the arts.
Gill enjoyed productions with happy endings and audience participation—highlighting Wicked and We Will Rock You.
She recalled attending the opera The Marriage of Figaro, and praised Spectre for its emotional storytelling.
To conclude, Mark invited Gill to imagine a successful cultural year flowing from her “collaboration league table” journey—with media opportunities and speaking engagements.
7. “This or That” with Gill
Mark wrapped up with a spirited round of “This or That.”
Gill revealed personal preferences across a range of topics, showing wit and spontaneity.
Mark thanked her for playing and highlighted the platform's member-funded nature, inviting others to explore it.
He promised to keep Gill updated on the video releases and teased a packed day of similar creative exchanges.
Explore some of Gill Tiney's work.
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Mark Walmsley FRSA FCIM AGSM
Chief Culture Vulture
Arts & Culture Network
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