COMMUNICATIONS BUSINESS
Advisor Podcast
Not invited to the table. Required at the table.
That’s my vision for this field. Join me.
Listen in for conversations on strategy, leadership, executive influence, and being a business advisor using the lens of communications to advise.
COMMUNICATIONS BUSINESS
ADVISOR
to,Podcast
Not invited to the table. Required at the table.
That’s my vision for this field. Join me.
Listen in for conversations on strategy, leadership, executive influence, and being a business advisor using the lens of communications to advise.
Latest Episode:
Episode 50: Fifty Episodes In, Here’s What I Got Wrong
Episode 50: Fifty Episodes In, Here’s What I Got Wrong Fifty episodes in, Tara McDonagh is looking back at some of the things she’s said on the Communications Business Advisor™ Podcast and admitting that she’d say a few of them differently today. The mission hasn’t changed. Tara still believes Communications and the people in it should be treated as critical business advisors. But after fifty episodes and years of working alongside communications leaders and their teams, her thinking about what that actually looks like has evolved. In this episode, Tara revisits four ideas she shared from the earliest episodes of
Recent Episodes:
Episode 30: The Path to CCO+
Episode 30: The Path to CCO+ Welcome to the Communications Business Advisor™ podcast with host Tara McDonagh. In this episode, Tara kicks off a new season by tackling one of the most pressing questions for senior communications professionals: what does a clear career path look like in a field that often feels misunderstood, oversimplified, and muddy? The Reality of Q4 for
Episode 29: Raise the Tide – The Women Communications Leadership Community and More
Episode 29: Raise the Tide – The Women Communications Leadership Community and More Episode 29 of the Communications Business Advisor™ podcast with host, Tara McDonagh, dives into Raise the Tide™, a program for women leaders and emerging leaders in the communications field working in a corporate (or related) environment. Tara unpacks exactly what Raise the Tide™ is, why it was created,
Episode 28: How Can You Even Plan Right Now?
Episode 28: How Can You Even Plan Right Now? Welcome to Episode 28 of the Communications Business Advisor™ podcast with Tara McDonagh. Today, Tara tackles a big question for communications leaders: how do you create a long-term plan in uncertain, volatile times like right now? She shares practical strategies to help Communications Leaders make it happen, even during chaos. Start
Episode 27: More in a Time of Less
Episode 27: More in a Time of Less Welcome to this week’s episode of the Communications Business Advisor™ podcast with Tara McDonagh. Today, Tara dives into one of the most critical challenges communication leaders face in uncertain times—advocating for more resources, influence, and investment when the natural reaction right now is to contract. If you’ve been questioning how to maintain your
Episode 26: Risk Alert!: Our Field Could Slip Backwards
Episode 26: Risk Alert!: Our Field Could Slip Backwards Welcome to the Communications Business Advisor™ podcast with Tara McDonagh. This week, Tara dives into a timely and scary issue—corporate communications is at risk of losing ground after years of progress. From earning a seat at the table to influencing decisions, these gains of being heard and respected are now under threat in
Episode 25: Comms and Moms, Part 2
Episode 25: Comms and Moms, Part 2 Welcome to the Communications Business Advisor™ podcast with Tara McDonagh, your go-to platform for corporate communications professionals who elevate their work, build influence, and solidify their role as critical advisors at the decision-making table. In this episode, we continue our discussion on Moms in Comms, and we tackle it a bit differently this time. We
Episode 24: Comms and Moms, Part 1
Episode 24: Comms and Moms, Part 1 Welcome to the Communications Business Advisor™ podcast with Tara McDonagh. This week, we kick off a two-part series on navigating communications leadership through the lens of motherhood, bias, and systemic challenges. Tara shares her personal experiences navigating being in this field both as a mom – and as a child free woman for quite a
Episode 23: What About the Women? Revisited
Episode 23: What About the Women? Revisited This one was first released last year and listening to it again, I was struck by how relevant it still is. If you’re a woman in this field, or just interested in learning more about the unique challenges women in this field face … maybe you manage them or are managed by one,
Episode 22: Love (& Hate) for Communications
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
Episode 21: “How Important Is It?”
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
Tara McDonagh
Your Expert Advisor & Comms Strategist
I’ve spent nearly 30 years changing how the communications function is understood, engaged, and used at some of the world’s largest companies.
That’s what this work is built on.
When Communications is finally engaged at the level it deserves, the whole business benefits. I’ve seen the ripple effect firsthand, and it’s what I want for every Comms leader and team I work with.
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