
Episode 36: You Don't Suck at Networking (Plus Some News)
From Communications Business Advisor by Tara McDonagh
December 1, 2025 · 26 min · Season 1 · Episode 36
About this episode
Tara McDonagh discusses the myth that women are bad at networking and redefines authentic networking for women in communications.
Welcome to the Communications Business Advisor ™ podcast with host, Tara McDonagh. In this episode, Tara gets real about one of the biggest myths she hears from women regularly: that they "suck at networking." Spoiler alert, they don't. They just don't network like men. Tara explains how traditional, low-touch "networking" settings … PRSA or IABC events, chamber breakfasts,, award dinners, conference receptions … were built for how men connect and network, not women.. Instead of trying to "fix" women or force them to network like men, which doesn't work, Tara redefines what authentic networking looks like for women in communications today. Women's networking is grounded in connection, deep trust, vulnerability, reciprocity, friendship and shared growth. From there, she opens up about her own year-end business planning retreat and what's next for Raise the Tide ™ for women in the Communications field … including big news about its evolution into a full ecosystem designed to support every woman in the communications field, whether corporate, non-profit agency, or consultant and across geographies. In this episode, Tara covers: Why women don't "suck" at networking … they just…
People in this episode
Host: Tara McDonagh
Topics covered
- networking
- women in communications
- gender differences
- business planning
- trust-based networking
Keywords
- networking
- women
- communications
- business planning
- trust
- vulnerability
- reciprocity
Mentioned in this episode
Organizations: Raise the Tide, PRSA, IABC
More episodes of Communications Business Advisor
- Episode 45: The Strategy That's Still in Your Head · April 20, 2026 · 20 min
- Episode 44: Long-Term Planning Is Dead (No, It Isn't) · April 6, 2026 · 18 min
- Episode 43: Thinking Alone Has a Leadership Ceiling · March 23, 2026 · 20 min
- Episode 42: When Helpfulness Becomes a Career Ceiling · March 9, 2026 · 18 min
- Episode 41: When Everything Feels Heavy, You Might Need More · February 23, 2026 · 18 min
- Episode 40: Path to CCO+ with Laura Duda · February 9, 2026 · 45 min
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