Entering a new leadership role can be daunting, but it surely helps if you have a long history inside the organization. That’s the case for Manny Maceda, who enters Bain and Company’s top job, worldwide managing partner, with years of experience at the firm.
All of those years translates to a deep familiarity with the company’s mission, he says. Maceda originally joined Bain in 1988 and now tells Fortune that his personal milestone is helping to reset Bain for the future while staying true to the firm’s values.
“We’re not just a consultant helping clients become a firm of the future, we should model it ourselves,” says Maceda. Becoming a better role model starts with empathy, the executive says: The same level of care provided to clients can be applied to problems we’re seeing in the world.
This is especially true as the next generation becomes more involved in social issues. “It’s consistent with what we need right now; firms are a collection of employees that need to be inspired and retained,” says Maceda.
Leadership is driven by purpose, but it extends beyond the company walls. “Employees want more than a simple mission—they want the world to be a better place,” he says.
Watch the video above for more from Fortune’s interview with Maceda.
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