Welcome to the Communications Business Advisor™ podcast with host Tara McDonagh. In this episode, Tara opens the new season with a declaration — not a trend forecast or resolution — naming the official word for communications professionals in 2026: authority.

Building on last year's word, no, Tara explains why the moment has shifted. While boundaries and discernment remain critical, communicators are facing a deeper challenge: being held accountable for outcomes without being empowered early enough to influence them. This episode unpacks why burnout, frustration, and stagnation persist even in "successful" roles — and why authority, not resilience or effort, is the missing piece. Tara reframes authority not as hierarchy or ego, but as earned weight, judgment, and influence that allows communicators to help the business think, not just speak.

In this episode, Tara covers:

  • Why authority — not visibility, speed, or helpfulness — is the defining need for communicators in 2026
  • How being "deeply accountable but not deeply empowered" leads to burnout and role erosion
  • The difference between responsiveness and judgment, and why one gets rewarded while the other gets sidelined
  • What authority actually means in communications (and what it definitely does not)
  • How over-functioning and perpetual helpfulness quietly erode influence over time
  • How strategic communications planning can reset leadership expectations and elevate the function
  • Practical ways to start practicing authority without damaging trust or relationships
  • Why authority is about business impact, not personal validation or ego

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.

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