Communications Business Advisor copertina

Communications Business Advisor

Communications Business Advisor

Di: Tara McDonagh
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A proposito di questo titolo

 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/taramurraymcdonagh2023 Economia Gestione e leadership Management Ricerca del lavoro Successo personale
Episodi
  • Episode 41: When Everything Feels Heavy, You Might Need More

    Episode 41: When Everything Feels Heavy, You Might Need More
    Feb 23 2026

    Welcome back to the Communications Business Advisor podcast. In this solo episode, Tara shares an update, perspective, and invitation. Because right now, if there's one way to describe the collective experience of communications leaders, it's this … it's a lot.

    The world feels heavy. The mental swivel factor is high. We are absorbing headlines, advising executives, managing reputational risk, running teams, parenting, partnering, and trying to remain reasonably stable humans.

    Tara shares a personal story about a crisis in her own family that revealed something important about high-functioning leaders: when things get overwhelming, many of us isolate. We narrow the world. We close ranks. We "handle it."

    But while isolation can often feel like control, it actually makes the load heavier.

    And for women in communications leadership, that isolation is frequently normalized.

    This episode explores why connection, not withdrawal, is what allows us to move forward.

    In this episode, Tara explores:
    • The "mental swivel" reality of modern communications leadership
    • Why high-functioning women default to isolation during crisis
    • The difference between professional processing and emotional processing
    • How isolation slowly becomes normalized in leadership roles
    • Why communications leadership is uniquely heavy right now
    • The cost of carrying complexity alone
    • Why connection is not weakness, but a leadership strategy
    • How peer spaces reduce the invisible weight of this work
    • What authentic leadership looks like during polarized and uncertain times

    Tara also shares an update on the Raise the Tide ecosystem and why it exists — not as generic professional development, but as intentional connection and growth for women in communications leadership and emerging leadership..

    • Shoreline: The brand new, Raise the Tide community space for connection and ongoing growth in any location or professional environment (agency, consultant, in-house, non-profit). For listeners interested in exploring Shoreline, Tara shares a limited-time discount code for early members (code: NEWCREW)

    • Surge: The deeper, more intensive leadership experience for in-house women leaders and emerging leaders with coaching, mentorship, and an in-person retreat. After the upcoming April retreat, Surge membership will close for at least six months to allow the group to deepen.

    Learn more at raisethetide.com.

    Visit taramcdonagh.com to learn more about working with Tara or sign up for her newsletter on advancing as a Communications Business Advisor:, Level Up: Be Extra and her Raise the Tide™ emails for women in the field Raise the Tide emails for women in the field.

    Until next time, keep advising. Always keep advising.
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    18 min
  • Episode 40: Path to CCO+ with Laura Duda

    Episode 40: Path to CCO+ with Laura Duda
    Feb 9 2026
    Welcome to the Communications Business Advisor™ podcast with host, Tara McDonagh. In this episode, Tara continues the Path to CCO+ series with Laura Duda, Senior Vice President and Chief Communications Officer at Goodyear. Laura shares what it really means to lead communications at the enterprise level, how she built her path from "writer first" to executive leader, and what communicators need to develop if they want a true seat (and voice) at the decision-making table. From navigating matrixed teams and "shadow communicators," to earning authority through stakeholder insight, to leading through volatility, AI, and modern crisis dynamics, this conversation is packed with practical guidance for directors, VPs, and emerging comms leaders. In this episode, Tara and Laura cover: What the CCO role looks like at GoodyearThe scope of Laura's remit across internal + external comms and closely adjacent functionsTeam size and global structureHow to lead in matrix environments and work effectively with "shadow communicators"Laura's career path: from writer to executive leader, including a pivotal industry switchWhat "authority" really means in communications: shaping decisions, not just messagingThe uniquely cross-stakeholder lens communicators bring to the leadership tableThe CCO skills that matter most: business fluency and humility (especially across generations)Navigating today's reality: AI, volatility, and modern crisis dynamicsWhy data-driven response protects leaders from overreacting to "viral" noiseAdvice for directors/VPs who feel stuck: assess your readiness, pursue stretch work, and evaluate whether your environment will sponsor your growth Laura's message is clear: authority is earned daily through credibility, stakeholder insight, and business fluency. Leadership at the CCO level requires both confidence and humility. The path isn't always linear, but communicators who keep learning, keep showing up, and choose growth-oriented environments give themselves the strongest chance to rise. Visit taramcdonagh.com to learn more about working with Tara or sign up for her newsletter on advancing as a Communications Business Advisor:, Level Up: Be Extra and her Raise the Tide™ emails for women in the field Raise the Tide emails for women in the field. This episode is sponsored by Raise the Tide™, a professional development ecosystem for women in communications - helping them grow, connect, and lead with confidence through mentorship, coaching, professional development and community. If you found this episode valuable, please rate and review — it helps more communicators find the show and strengthens our collective voice. Until next time, keep advising. Always keep advising. Meet Laura Duda Laura Duda is Senior Vice President and Chief Communications Officer of The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company. As the Chief Communications Officer, Duda leads all internal and external communications for the company, including public and media relations, employee communications, corporate reputation management, philanthropy and community relations, as well as Goodyear's fleet of world-famous airships. Duda joined Goodyear in 2016, serving as Vice President of Communications for the company's Americas business unit. Before joining Goodyear, Duda led corporate, utility and commercial communications for Chicago, Illinois-based Exelon Corporation and corporate and utility communications for Tampa, Florida-based TECO Energy, Inc. Raised in St. Petersburg, Florida, Duda attended Western Carolina University, earning a Bachelor of Arts degree in Writing & Editing. She later received her Master of Arts degree in Mass Communication from University of Florida and her Master of Business Administration degree from The University of Tampa. She is accredited in Public Relations, is a member of the Arthur W. Page Society and is a graduate of Leadership Tampa, Leadership Greater Chicago and Leadership Akron. In 2023, Duda was named a Top 50 Chief Communications Officer by the National Diversity Conference. In 2020 and 2021, she was named to the National Diversity Council's Power 50, honoring women in the C-suite from top corporations who endeavor to improve not just companies, but communities as well. She has also been named to PR Week's Hall of Femme, recognizing inspiring women who set the bar higher within their organizations, nominated by their peers and colleagues, and as one of the Women of Note by Crain's Cleveland Business. Duda is an executive sponsor of the Goodyear Black Network, a board member of the Humane Society of Summit County, United Way of Summit & Medina and the Greater Akron Chamber of Commerce. She is a trustee of the Institute for Public Relations and serves on the editorial board of Corporate Communications Review. She served as the 2024-2025 co-chair for the Harvest for Hunger campaign supporting the Akron-Canton Regional Foodbank.
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    45 min
  • Episode 39: Path to CCO+ with Anthony Farina

    Episode 39: Path to CCO+ with Anthony Farina
    Jan 26 2026

    Welcome to the Communications Business Advisor™ podcast with host Tara McDonagh. In this episode, Tara sits down with Anthony Farina, a seasoned global communications leader whose career spans journalism, government, and corporate communications at the highest levels. Anthony currently leads Corporate Communications for Fujifilm in the Americas and previously served as Chief Communications Officer at CSL, where he built a global communications function from the ground up.

    Together, Tara and Anthony explore what it really takes to grow into senior leadership in communications — not just in title, but in influence. From building strategy-first teams and earning executive trust, to navigating career trade-offs, mentoring the next generation, and giving back to the field, this conversation is packed with practical wisdom and lived experience.

    In this episode, Tara and Anthony cover:
    • Why Communications should be treated as a vocation
    • Why great CCOs focus on three things: strategy and governance, removing obstacles, and being the team's chief cheerleader
    • Building a global communications team from zero to 65 people
    • How to prove the value of communications through strategy
    • Challenging industry "groupthink" by hiring for diverse backgrounds and perspectives
    • Developing teams through professional growth, not just output
    • What hybrid and remote work require from communicators who want to stay visible and trusted
    • The power of listening as a leadership skill
    • The difference between self-promotion and self-advocacy
    • Why shining a light on others' work builds credibility faster than talking about your own
    • Advice for directors and VPs aiming for CCO roles: start behaving like the role you want
    • The responsibility senior leaders have to give back through mentoring, teaching, and guidance
    • Why passion for the field and generosity with what you know creates lasting impact

    Tara and Anthony close with a shared belief: communications leaders have both the opportunity and the responsibility to elevate the field by developing people, not just delivering outputs. Authority is earned through strategy, helping transfer your knowledge, and sustained leadership.

    Visit taramcdonagh.com to learn more about working with Tara or sign up for her newsletter on advancing as a Communications Business Advisor:, Level Up: Be Extra and her Raise the Tide™ emails for women in the field Raise the Tide emails for women in the field.

    This episode is sponsored by Raise the Tide™, a professional development ecosystem for women in communications - helping them grow, connect, and lead with confidence through mentorship, coaching, professional development and community.

    If you found this episode valuable, please rate and review — it helps more communicators find the show and strengthens our collective voice.

    Until next time, keep advising. Always keep advising.
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    58 min
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