Culture Is What Happens When No One’s Looking (VIDEO)

Episode Description:

In this episode of The Unscripted Leader, host Steve Margerin sits down with transformational executive Tia Newcomer to explore what truly drives organizational culture and leadership performance.

 

Tia has led teams across multiple industries including consumer packaged goods, technology, healthcare, private equity, and nonprofit organizations. Her leadership journey includes roles at companies like PepsiCo, Clorox, and HP, along with CEO positions and board leadership in healthcare and nonprofit spaces. During the conversation, Tia shares how her early experience in sales shaped her leadership philosophy and why leaders must stay connected to the front lines of their organizations. She also discusses how leaders can build cultures grounded in transparency, accountability, and psychological safety.

 

From navigating career inflection points to transforming company culture, Tia offers practical insights on how leaders can create environments where people feel empowered to challenge ideas, grow, and perform at their best.

Guest Introduction:

Tia Newcomer is a transformational executive leader, board member, and go-to-market operator who has led teams across multiple industries including consumer packaged goods, technology, healthcare, private equity, and nonprofit organizations. She began her career in sales at Frito-Lay before holding leadership roles at PepsiCo, Clorox, and HP. Over time, she transitioned into healthcare leadership, serving as CEO and board member for several organizations focused on improving patient outcomes and advancing women's health initiatives. Most recently, Tia served as CEO of CaringBridge, where she led a major transformation across people, culture, and strategy. Today she serves on multiple boards while exploring the next chapter of her leadership journey.

Key Takeaways:

• Culture is not defined by corporate slogans but by the behaviors people demonstrate when leadership isn’t present.
• Diverse industry experience can strengthen leadership by bringing new perspectives to familiar challenges.
• Sales experience provides leaders with a powerful frontline understanding of customers and markets.
• Leaders must create psychological safety so teams feel comfortable challenging decisions.
• Career inflection points often come from personal reflection and recognizing when growth has stalled.
• Diagnosing an organization starts with listening—leaders must seek honest feedback from employees at every level.

 

Chapter Markers:

0:00 Welcome to The Unscripted Leader

1:30 Introducing Tia Newcomer

4:00 Leading across multiple industries

7:30 Why frontline sales experience shapes great leaders

10:30 The “Wall of Reality” leadership exercise

14:30 Why Tia originally resisted a career in sales

18:00 The career moment that changed her leadership direction

23:00 Recognizing personal and professional inflection points

28:00 What culture really means inside organizations

32:00 Creating psychological safety on leadership teams

37:00 Avoiding the “meeting after the meeting” problem

41:00 Diagnosing organizational culture as a new CEO

45:00 Leadership lessons and closing thoughts

Keywords:

The Unscripted Leader podcast, Tia Newcomer, Steve Margerin, leadership culture, executive leadership lessons, organizational culture transformation, leadership transparency, psychological safety at work, leadership development, women in leadership

Pull Quotes:

“Culture isn’t what’s written on the wall — it’s what people do when no one’s looking.”

“If you want to understand your business, go to the frontline. That’s where the truth lives.”