Episode 51: Networking Without the Ick with Monique Kelley

Networking doesn't have to feel transactional, uncomfortable, or like you're asking someone for a favor.

In this episode of the Communications Business Advisor™ Podcast, Tara McDonagh welcomes Monique Kelley, author of Redefining Networking, for a conversation about building meaningful professional relationships, without, as Tara says the traditional networking "ick."

From making connections and communicating your value to setting boundaries and advocating for yourself, Tara and Monique explore how networking can become a natural, mutually beneficial part of your professional life rather than another uncomfortable career obligation.

Tara also shares insight backed by data about why women experience networking differently.

Together, they address how to build relationships before you need them, and why giving first doesn't mean giving endlessly.

• Why traditional networking can feel uncomfortable and how to redefine it as relationship-building
• Monique's three-step approach to mutually supportive networking
• How to identify your professional value, find the right people, and communicate that value through storytelling
• Why building relationships before you need something is essential to long-term career growth
• Tara shares why networking works differently for women. She also shares the critical difference between self-promotion and self-advocacy.
• How to establish boundaries and recognize one-sided networking relationships
• Why generosity, authenticity, and mutual respect create stronger professional networks

Networking isn't about collecting contacts or asking for favors. It's about building relationships where people understand your value, want to support you, and know you'll do the same for them.

And when you approach networking that way, it stops feeling like something you have to do and starts becoming something that naturally supports your career.

Monique is a trusted, purpose-driven communications expert, who has served as a professor (Boston University), is a published author and fractional (interim) leader for Fortune 50 and global biopharmaceutical corporations seeking a strategic corporate, product or executive comms head to advance business objectives and alleviate their headaches. She is uniquely positioned to address client challenges first-hand having been in senior leadership overseeing comms for a US COO and two business divisions simultaneously at Takeda Pharmaceuticals and, prior to that, serving as an SVP/Client Experience Lead at top agency Weber Shandwick. Professor Kelley wrote a book on effective networking, "Redefining Networking: How to Lead with Your Unique Value," published by Routledge (Dec. 2025) and an Amazon #1 Best Seller for Business Ethics. She's currently on a book tour and has been featured in the media, including FOX 5 D.C., FOX 10 Phoenix and Denver's KOA 850 AM and 94.1 FM. Monique is also a Founding Member of CHIEF, the largest membership-based network for women C-suite and executives.

Monique Kelley's Book, Redefining Networking: https://redefiningnetworkingbook.com/

Tara McDonagh is a Communications Business Advisor™ activist, founder of Tara McDonagh Communications, Inc., and Founder of Raise the Tide™ for women in Communications. She advises Chief Communications Officers, Vice Presidents, and Senior Directors at Fortune 500 and other large organizations on advancing their function as critical business advisors. Recognized by the Public Relations Society of America (PRSA) in 2026 as an industry champion and thought leader, Tara helps Communications teams elevate their reputations as critical advisors while elevating our profession and the people in it.

Tara McDonagh Communications' clients span industries including healthcare, pharmaceuticals, life sciences, automotive, manufacturing, food and beverage, financial services, and higher education. Tara McDonagh's clients typically range from about $1 billion to more than $180 billion in annual revenue and from about 2,000 to more than 150,000 employees.

With nearly 30 years of experience leading communications at some of the nation's largest, most complex, and most highly regulated brands, Tara's counsel comes from experience across communications disciplines: public relations, public affairs, internal communications, executive communications, and crisis communications. She quite literally knows what it's like to do the role and helps those she advises elevate their team's expertise and their own reputations.

Work with Tara: Learn more about working with Tara. https://www.taramcdonagh.com

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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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Until next time, keep advising. Always keep advising.