Communications Business Advisor

Tara McDonagh
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Communications Business Advisor

The Communications Business Advisor Podcast addresses the misunderstood and oversimplified field of communications in the corporate world, and elevates the reputation of the field and the people in it as Critical Business Advisors, never order takers. Hosted by Tara McDonagh, a Corporate Communications expert with 25 years of experience for some of the biggest brands around, the Communications Business Advisor podcast is a place to share our vision for the field, discuss the challenges we face, and approaches to elevate our field and ourselves as critical advisors. Episode topics include everything from teaching executives how to treat us, to measurement that matters, building a business case for budget, and gender bias impacting our field and the people in it. Join Tara McDonagh in the movement to prove that our value as a business area is not only helpful, it’s imperative to a company's success. Find more at www.taramcdonagh.com or follow Tara on LinkedIn where she writes about Communications topics for our field five days a week at: www.linkedin.com/in/taramurraymcdonagh

  1. Episode 22: Love (& Hate) for Communications

    1 DAY AGO

    Episode 22: Love (& Hate) for Communications

    Welcome to Episode 22 of the Communications Business Advisor™ podcast with your host, Tara McDonagh. This week, Tara explores the love and frustration many communications professionals feel for their field. She candidly discusses challenges like small teams, underfunded departments, and underappreciation, while also talking about the emotional highs of getting that seat at the decision-making table as an underdog and knowing we made a difference. The Trials and Triumphs of Communications Leadership  Tara dives into how ambitious overachievers are drawn to this field.  Not because it’s easy. But because it’s hard.  She addresses the frustrations of limited resources, paired with the satisfaction of being the underdog who positions communications as a key advisory function - and delivers.  Tara challenges professionals to stop seeing leadership opportunities as a privilege and start treating them as the norm.  Listeners will leave inspired to advocate for their teams and reframe their mindset around their role as an essential business leader.  Explore more at taramcdonagh.com and sign up for the “Level Up: Be Extra” newsletter for exclusive career resources.  This episode is proudly sponsored by the Raise the Tide™ program, elevating the Communications field and the women in it. If you enjoyed this episode, please rate and review the podcast—your support helps elevate these conversations and the communications profession!

    17 min
  2. Episode 21: "How Important Is It?"

    JAN 27

    Episode 21: "How Important Is It?"

    Welcome back to the Communications Business Advisor Podcast! This episode dives into a fundamental question every communications leader should ask: "How Important Is It?" Tara McDonagh shares insights from a recent strategic planning session with a comms team, where the question revealed surprising opportunities for efficiency, clarity, and advocacy. If you're a communications leader juggling endless priorities, struggling with resource constraints, or looking for ways to focus on what truly matters, this episode is for you. What You’ll Learn in This Episode: Rethinking Prioritization as a Gift Tara challenges the notion of prioritization as a "dirty word," reframing it as a tool to unlock more—more resources, clarity, and focus. A Fresh Approach to the Prioritization Process Discover how Tara’s simple yet strategic framework evaluates tasks based on risk, business importance, and communication expertise required. Learn why adding a “people-pleasing bucket” can help identify work that distracts from critical goals. Empowering Others Through Toolkits and Processes Why letting go of low-risk, low-value tasks isn’t just about delegation—it’s about empowering colleagues and preserving your team’s capacity for impactful work. How to Advocate for Resources While Holding the Line Tara offers practical advice on navigating conversations with executives who may not understand the nuances of communications. From socializing strategic plans to using advocacy questions, she provides actionable steps for negotiating effectively. Keep advising, my friends. Keep advising. If you’re ready to partner with Tara for a workshop, speaker engagement, or ongoing counsel, reach out soon—spots for 2025 are filling up fast. Visit www.taramcdonagh.com for more details. Raise the Tide™ proudly sponsors this episode, supporting communications leaders as they navigate their careers, connect across industries, and redefine success. Learn more at www.raisethetide.net.

    25 min
  3. Episode 20: New Year. New Mindset.

    JAN 13

    Episode 20: New Year. New Mindset.

    Welcome back to the Communications Business Advisor Podcast! It’s 2025, and with a new year comes the chance to adopt a new mindset - because mindset can change everything.  Today, Tara McDonagh challenges communications leaders to rethink the way they prioritize their time and energy in their organizations. If you’ve ever struggled with justifying your workload, advocating for resources, or redefining your leadership role, this episode is for you. Why “Because I Get Paid Too Much” Matters: Tara challenges the misconception that strategic leaders recognizing their value is arrogance, reframing it as essential business thinking. By aligning task complexity with expertise, leaders enhance their presence while safeguarding company resources.  The “Must Do” Exercise for Work and Life:  Tara presents a simple yet powerful exercise to categorize responsibilities into “Must Do” (tasks only you can handle) and “Someone Must Do” (tasks that can be delegated). By adopting a mindset of strategic delegation, leaders can create space for high-value work while achieving better personal balance.  Building the Case (and Mindset) for Resources:  Tara highlights the importance of mindset, urging communications leaders to recognize their value as a foundation for advocating for resources. She shares how building a business case for resources doesn’t start with writing or research but rather mindset - even if people think they have that part covered. It likely still needs some work before an impact can be made. Want support in navigating this journey? Swing by www.taramcdonagh.com. And be sure to sign up for Level Up: Be Extra emails for even more exclusive insights.  Raise the Tide™ is proud to sponsor this episode, empowering women in communications to amplify their careers, connect across industries, and redefine leadership on their terms. For more, visit www.raisethetide.net.

    24 min
  4. Episode 19: Communicators’ Word of 2025

    12/16/2024

    Episode 19: Communicators’ Word of 2025

    Welcome to the final episode in 2024 of the Communications Business Advisor™ podcast with your host, Tara McDonagh. In this episode, Tara addresses a specific challenge faced by communications leaders looking to elevate their strategic role in corporate environments. In this episode, we explore… No: the professional communicators’ word of 2024 was “no.” And it raised some eyebrows and also some shouts of enthusiasm. In this episode we talk about all things saying no. From how to navigate getting to ‘no’ with co-workers, executives and even within your own team. Boundaries - not just setting them, but keeping them - is critical for sanity and impact.  Partner:  Tara emphasizes the shift from being seen as a service department to becoming true partners with business areas, working together to achieve shared business goals. This word is less of a lightning rod, but just as critical as we proceed to elevate our function. That’s why ‘partner’ is the word of 2025.  To explore more insights from Tara McDonagh Communications and sign up for our newsletter, visit Level Up: Be Extra. Want some help so you’re no longer alone in navigating all of this? Swing by www.taramcdonagh.com   Shoutout to our sponsor, Raise the Tide™, for helping women in communications working in a corporate environment reach new career heights.

    19 min
  5. Episode 18: You're (Probably) Not Crazy

    12/02/2024

    Episode 18: You're (Probably) Not Crazy

    Welcome to Episode 18 of the Communications Business Advisor™ podcast, your go-to for advancing in corporate communications as a strategic business advisor. Today, we’re diving into that all-too-familiar feeling—wondering if you're losing your mind from handling off-the-wall requests, lazy requests, and “I don’t want to admit I don’t know how to do this” requests.  We often question these requests because they’re shared with such confidence by the requestor that we begin to wonder, ‘Am I supposed to do this? Is this a thing my peers do in other organizations?’  So let me tell you if you haven’t heard it before: You’re (probably) not crazy.  In this episode, we address  Navigating Random Requests: Ever feel like you're stuck fielding requests about tasks that have nothing to do with Comms.? Like making a bathroom sign or fixing a voicemail system? Let's clear the air about what we’re really here to do and listen to some advice about how to handle the inbound random stuff without losing your mind.  The Lazy Request Dilemma: Sometimes we get stuck with 'lazy requests'—the stuff anyone could handle but somehow lands on our plate. Think about those PowerPoints intended for an audience of 12 or email edits for a departmental email. You don’t have to do these - yes, even when the request comes from someone more senior.  The “I Haven’t made a Business Decision” (but won’t say that out loud) Requests: We get pulled in to communicate something and quickly realize when asking some basic questions that a business decision hasn’t been made. We can’t communicate without knowing WHAT we’re communicating. While frustrating, this is an area where we make the most significant impact and can elevate ourselves as critical business advisors. Listen in for more.  Want some help so you’re no longer alone in navigating all of this? Swing by www.taramcdonagh.com   And be sure to sign up for my Level Up: Be Extra emails for even more exclusive insights.  Shoutout to our sponsor, Raise the Tide™, for helping women in communications working in a corporate environment reach new career heights.

    19 min
  6. Episode 17: How to Work with Tara

    11/19/2024

    Episode 17: How to Work with Tara

    Welcome to another episode of the Communications Business Advisor™ podcast with your host, Tara McDonagh. In this episode, Tara delves into the ways Communications leaders and their teams in Corporate environments work with her and her company, Tara McDonagh Communications (TMC). TMC Consulting Tara provides a glimpse into the consulting suite, focusing first on the Total Communication Strategic Planning program using the TMC framework - including an audit, strategic plan creation, and a year of consulting partnership to help make those plans operational. Discover how TMC achieves alignment with executives, helps with team empowerment, and often helps clients secure more budget and resources - even when they’ve been told no in the past.  Communication Business Advisor Counsel Program  Explore the wildly popular Communication Business Advisor™, or "Bat Phone" program, an advisory service for Communications leaders that ensures you’re never alone. Because at some point you become the highest-level person at your company in your field. Yet, you can get stuck wondering if you’re approaching something the right way, or even get stuck not knowing what to do next. Imagine having someone else who’s also skilled and experienced at that high-level and can see things you can’t - because you can’t see the label when you’re inside the jar.  You get this with the Communications Business Advisor program. Whether you need counsel on major company or communications initiatives, verifying components of your strategy or team structure, or support with ideas on how to navigate your leadership team - this program ensures you always have another smart and skilled communications voice to help you make a difference within your company. Community and Coaching On the community and coaching side, Tara discusses helping people with career progression through three coaching programs but she spends the most time sharing more details about the in-demand Raise the Tide™ program. Raise the Tide is a program for women leaders and emerging leaders working in the Communications field in a corporate, healthcare or higher education setting. The program offers professional development., mentorship, support to reach career goals, and a tight-knit small group community. Women network and progress in their careers differently than men.  Raise the Tide answers that unique need through a total program approach that makes all the difference in women’s careers. Proven - over and over again.  If you’re ready to launch a transformative partnership with Tara McDonagh Communications, visit taramcdonagh.com.

    30 min
  7. Episode 16: I Have a Comms Strategy -- Now What?

    11/04/2024

    Episode 16: I Have a Comms Strategy -- Now What?

    Welcome to another episode of the Communications Business Advisor™ podcast with your host, Tara McDonagh. This episode is all about taking that shiny new Communications Strategy off the shelf and turning it into something operational. You’ve finally crafted that amazing Communications Strategic Plan. Congratulations! What do you do next? Tara shares her expertise to ensure your strategy doesn’t gather dust. She walks listeners through: Engaging Your Team: Whether you created the plan solo or with a small team, it’s time to bring everyone on board on next steps. Learn how to involve your team to operationalize the strategy and make it part of your everyday work. Integrate it into all you do.  Executive Alignment: Align your Communications Strategy with business areas’ goals looking for the common denominators that connect the priorities together. Reset leaders’ expectations of you and your team. Set those expectations higher. Tara explains why roadshows don’t work in this process and what to do instead.  Open Dialogue: Understand the importance of being open to feedback and adjustments, emphasizing that buy-in requires a willingness to adapt your strategy to fit the needs of the business. Note: this does not mean throwing the plan in the trash and starting over because an executive doesn’t like hearing about new ways of doing things! The TMC process: Hear some of the components of the Tara McDonagh Communications (TMC) framework for creating, getting buy-in and operationalizing a Communications Strategic Plan - proven to work time and again.  Your Communications Strategy isn’t just a thoughtful document—it’s a tool for achieving business goals. Ensure it resonates with everyone, from your team to executives. Make it a core part of your decision-making and operational processes.  For those of you who want even more insight on Communications Business Advising, sign up for the Level Up: Be Extra emails. Visit taramcdonagh.com/levelup to sign up.  The Communications Business Advisor™ Podcast is brought to you by Raise the Tide™, the program that elevates our field and the women in it. For more info. Visit raisethetide.net. If you enjoyed this episode, please share a rating or review. We can ignite a movement when we share a message.

    19 min
  8. Episode 15: Does Reporting Structure Matter?

    10/21/2024

    Episode 15: Does Reporting Structure Matter?

    In this episode of the Communications Business Advisor™ podcast, Tara McDonagh explores the complexities of Communications (PR, Internal Comm. etc) reporting structures within organizations and answers the important question: Does it matter who Comms. reports to?  . Dive into the debate about where communications should fit within a company's hierarchy and the potential challenges and opportunities that arise from different reporting scenarios. Tara delves into: Why centralized communications structures may benefit some organizations more than others.  How reporting to different departments like HR, Marketing, or Finance can impact the success of being a “Communications Business Advisor”  The unique challenges faced by communications leaders in advocating for their role and resources when they report to different business areas.  How the undervaluation of Communications as a business function can sometimes lead to missed opportunities for strategic business counsel that makes a critical difference. Packed with Tara’s candid insights, this episode encourages communications leaders to advocate for their field despite the hurdles posed by misaligned reporting structures.  For more insights and tips on communications-related topics, sign up for Tara’s Level Up: Be Extra newsletter at taramcdonagh.com/levelup. The Communications Business Advisor™ Podcast is brought to you by Raise the Tide™, the unique coaching, community, and professional development program that elevates corporate women communications leaders and emerging leaders in the communications field. Learn more at raisethetide.net. If you enjoyed this episode, please share a rating or review. It helps others discover our podcast and join the movement to elevate the communications profession.

    19 min
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About

The Communications Business Advisor Podcast addresses the misunderstood and oversimplified field of communications in the corporate world, and elevates the reputation of the field and the people in it as Critical Business Advisors, never order takers. Hosted by Tara McDonagh, a Corporate Communications expert with 25 years of experience for some of the biggest brands around, the Communications Business Advisor podcast is a place to share our vision for the field, discuss the challenges we face, and approaches to elevate our field and ourselves as critical advisors. Episode topics include everything from teaching executives how to treat us, to measurement that matters, building a business case for budget, and gender bias impacting our field and the people in it. Join Tara McDonagh in the movement to prove that our value as a business area is not only helpful, it’s imperative to a company's success. Find more at www.taramcdonagh.com or follow Tara on LinkedIn where she writes about Communications topics for our field five days a week at: www.linkedin.com/in/taramurraymcdonagh

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