Raise the Tide™

What are the results from Raise the Tide? - Promotions. Yes, several of them - many into roles that are newly formed. - Salary increases between 10-30% (yes, for multiple women). - Salary increases during times of layoffs and zero percent equity increases at some companies (yes, more than one of them). - New bonuses that didn't exist before and equity/stock awards in the near $100,000 range. - Increasing of department budgets (yes, plural). One of them even doubled in size when the team was reduced year-over-year, every year for the past several years, and it was set to continue in this way until RTT. - New staff/team members (when previously and consistently denied). Now, keep in mind something important here. Raise the Tide is INTENTIONALLY a small group program. So when we talk about several crew members experiencing results ... we're NOT sharing a small set of examples among hundreds of members. We're talking majority. These are the hard numbers. But what of the other goals some women set? - To trust other women again. - To take more risks. - To gain clarity on career path. - To love her field again. - To regain her confidence. Achieved! We set individual goals in Raise the Tide. Sometimes it's about a promotion, or more respect, or feeling comfortable with self-advocacy, or saying no. Other times it's about personal clarity and emotional connection. Many times it's about both. Either way, we regroup to talk about these goals after six months. Sometimes goals are moved off the list because they've been achieved. YES! Let's CELEBRATE! Then, it's time to focus on the next thing! Other times it's about figuring out what the next stage of that same goal is and getting after THAT. Either way, it's FUN to do this work. We are inspired by each other. We enjoy learning from each other. We reclaim love for our field. We SEE each other. We get PAID. And professional friendships transcend into life friendships. Raise the Tide isn't for those who are good with the status quo. - It's for unintentional trailblazers who simply want it better for themselves and end up accidentally inspiring other women along the way. - It's for the women who invest in their careers rather than try to continue to fix it themselves, alone. - It's for the women who love this field and want a bit more back from it (more respect, more money, more joy, more connection, more pay ... and they deserve it). - It's for the women who love seeing their new friends succeed and celebrate with them, while also feeling a bit of "healthy, loving, jealousy." Healthy, loving, jealousy looks like fierce happiness for their friends coupled with a desire (and motivation) to achieve the same results for themselves. If this is something you want ... Act. Reach out. Invest in yourself. Raise the Tide for yourself and your field. #RaisetheTide #Communications #corporatecommunications #publicrelations

Raise the tide makes a difference. Find your crew. Raise the Tide.

There are enough surprises in our field without adding in unnecessary surprises. I know you know what I mean ... those things you could have been told about earlier instead of dumping on you at the last minute and creating an issue for you... So, consider this your early notice from me. Raise the Tide program pricing rises for new members as of January 1, 2025. If you're thinking about joining, reach out now. If you're a fit, you can lock in current pricing for your first year of the program. Want to know more about the program? www.raisethetide.net

Raise the Tide Retreats are one-of-a-kind. And they’re included in the cost of the program. Reach out to find out more. Find your crew. Raise the Tide

Resting B*tch Face. I LOATHE that this is a thing. LOATHE. It’s often said instead of “You (or she) should smile more.” The WHOLE discussion around women not smiling enough is the reason why “resting bitch face” exists as a statement. Some women even share it proactively about themselves to prevent the whole “smile more” statements they might hear from colleagues. UGH. CAN YOU JUST STOP WITH TELLING US HOW TO ADJUST OUR FACES AND LISTEN TO OUR WORDS?! Here’s the thing … men aren’t told to smile more. Nor are they accused of having “resting bitch face.” My Raise the Tide clients know that I like to use humor to disarm patriarchal mindsets. It’s my go-to when I’m not feeling the need to tackle something head-on. So, when I’m feeling like it’s a moment for humor, I just tell people I have “Resting BLANK Face.” Then I follow up with something like “bet you can’t read what I’m thinking. I should play poker.” Women in Raise the Tide have shared with me that they use other phrases like” “I charge more for smiles and the company can’t afford my rate.” “My next smile is scheduled for 5pm. Sorry you’ll miss it.” If you’re trying to prevent the whole “smile more” B.S. that you might get in certain company, consider deploying humor. That is, if you don’t have the energy to educate in that moment. Resting BLANK face > Resting B*tch face. Let’s not feed the sexism. Dismantle it … with humor (deploying curiosity or straight facts works too … but know that it’s not your responsibility to always be educating others on this). I’ll cover deploying curiosity more soon … stay tuned. If you have a good response to “smile more” share it in comments. And can we please commit to never using “resting b*tch face” again?

The Raise the Tide™ crew was surprised to hear that my coach is younger than me. I guess I can understand that. With age comes wisdom. I do believe that. But when I started my business, I was looking for specific help. I worked with a coach who knew more about running a business than I did. One who knew how to unlock my internal blocks to help me grow. And help me with the practicalities of running a business too. After all, I had never started a business before. She had. It’s been a fantastic investment. My coach’s age has never come up. Well, not until I mentioned it to the Raise The Tide crew while on retreat in response to an age-related comment. I know my coach is just a bit younger. And it doesn’t matter. I'm also not the eldest person she coaches - I know because I'm in a coaching group of hers with some women and a few are older than me. No biggie. My coach gets me. She helps me advance my business in ways I just wouldn't do alone. She unlocks my brilliance and pushes me to push through my blocks. I do the same for my coaching clients - whether in a group program like Raise the Tide or in a one-on-one experience. I’ve coached a man who is 60-years-old, a woman who is 30-years-old, and all ages between. All of them communications leaders in a corporate environment – running PR, internal communications, public affairs, crisis communications and related. All have told me I helped them immensely (or related words). Some even called my coaching support "critical, essential even." In the Raise the Tide group for women communications emerging leaders and leaders in the corporate environment, we have women that are 50, and women that are 30. All of them gain countless benefits from being part of the group and if I didn’t believe that … if they didn’t tell me that, I wouldn’t be doing it. We’re so focused on age in this world We hear, (and often say) phrases like, “OK, Boomer,“ "Millennials are entitled," "Gen Z don't get how to behave in corporate," "Gen X is … " well, Gen X are forgotten in the generational battle. Can we look at what we can learn from each other instead? Yes, of course you want to look for wisdom. But also ... Look for knowledge, Look for connection, Look for someone who "gets" you. Look for someone who will support and push you. Get yourself a coach A coach who will raise you up. Who will help you achieve your goals. Hell! Someone who will help you identify your goals! The right coach helps you unlock your full potential and moves you from good to great. Regardless of age. Go move from good to great. Find your fit. P.S. - Two points for anyone who wants to guess my age. I promise I won't be flattered or offended. Age is just age ... but I AM curious what you think.

Mothers today spend MORE time with their children than they did 50 years ago, and in most cases, DOUBLE. Yes, a study tells us this. You’d think that as women entered the workforce and stay-at-home parenting decreased in numbers, we’d be spending less time with kids. Nope. Moms in 1965 might have spent more time at home, but, they only spent 54 minutes on childcare activities. Moms in 2012 nearly doubled that. Fathers' time with children has nearly quadrupled since 1965, when dads reported spending 16 minutes with children. In 2012, dads spent an average of 59 minutes. We’re spending MORE than our parents or even our grandparents and yet, the societal guilt about not spending enough time with your children has INCREASED. So, just a heads up that you get to tell your inner voice to shut its mouth when it's talking to you about needing to spend more time with your children. Your kids don’t need more time. They need the time you spend with them to be quality time. Enjoy what you have and stop pressuring yourself to give more. You’re more than enough. You’re extra. -- Hi, I'm Tara McDonagh, the founder of Raise the Tide and proud activist for Communicators being treated as Business Advisors. In Raise the Tide, we tackle the intersection of gender bias and our misunderstood and oversimplified field. We work together in a coaching, community, mentoring and professional development program to achieve our vision - a corporate world that not only invites, but EXPECTS Communicators to advise. Interested in learning more about Raise the Tide? Check out the site in comments. P.S. - our Emerging Leader and Leader groups are nearly full. We have just a couple openings for new crew members - then the wait list starts. (Plus, pricing increases in January, so if you like a deal, get in now). Are you the next leader down to advance your career alongside others?

The shirt is the post. It says it all.

“Ya know how people say that we need to protect certain national treasures at all costs … I feel that way about you.” Wow. That was maybe the most powerful statement I’ve ever heard about the impact of my words on a woman. Though I shouldn’t have to, I feel the need to say that I share this not because I want you all to know how important I am (and I HATE that I feel the need to say this). But I share because I want YOU all to know that there are thoughts you have that are “national treasure” thoughts. Thoughts that might be stuck inside of you because there’s something holding you in place. Holding you from being all of who you are and all of what you think with people. You’re too arrogant (confident), so you quiet yourself. You’re not invited to the room to speak up, you’re invited to listen in. F*ck that noise. Consider this your invitation. Be Extra. Speak up. Let your own national treasure self show. ---- I'm Tara McDonagh, the founder of Raise the Tide and proud activist for Communicators being treated as Business Advisors. In Raise the Tide, we tackle the intersection of gender bias and our misunderstood and oversimplified field. We work together in a coaching, community, mentoring and professional development program to achieve our vision - a corporate world that not only invites, but EXPECTS Communicators to advise. Interested in learning more about Raise the Tide? Check out the site in comments. P.S. - our Emerging Leader and Leader groups are nearly full. We have just a couple openings for new crew members - then the wait list starts. (Plus, pricing increases in January, so if you like a deal, get in now). Are you the next leader down to advance your career alongside others?

I’ll say “um” less when you let me hold the conversational floor. So many of us are told that we say um or ah too often. That we need to be confident in what we’re saying so others can hear us. But did you know that “Umm” simply reflects thought before an answer? We say it because it discourages people from interrupting us. We’ve experienced being talked over, dismissed or not listened to and we adopt the “um” or “ahhh” to compensate. And we see it modeled in the women ahead of us - both professionally and personally. It’s a way of speaking that’s normalized for us now. It’s the way we hold the conversational floor. Do you know any men who say um or ahh often? I don’t. Why? Because it’s women who historically, (and studies still show this today) aren’t heard. So, it’s the women who are told to stop saying ummm. To edit themselves. Then that’s all we focus on when we prepare ourselves to speak, and it shakes our confidence more as we worry …. And sometimes, it silences us as we lose our opportunity to speak because we’re so focused on the “umm … “ On a broader scale, We worry about how we speak in meetings. If we have enough “gravitas” in how we present. If we seem confident enough in what we’re saying - but without sounding arrogant, because that would be the next critique that follows. Women aren’t heard. And if you’re a woman of color, add way more weight to that fact. We aren’t allowed the same pauses to think. Someone else will pipe in while we gather our thoughts and we lose the opportunity to weigh in. So instead of telling women to stop saying ummm … Let’s tell everyone to give women the conversational floor and when they pause … know that it’s a reflectional moment, not a moment to step on top. Or better yet, if they say umm … retrain your brain prepare yourself by knowing it’s a signal for the very smart thing she’ll say next. And that’s ummmm …. that’s what it looks like when we stop editing women.