---
id: "quote-second-class-citizens"
type: "quote"
source_timestamps: ["§ Translating among partners.", "¶21"]
tags: ["translation", "empathy"]
related: ["entity-garry-lyons", "framework-three-functions-of-bridgers", "entity-richard-haythornthwaite"]
speaker: "Richard Haythornthwaite"
speakers: ["Richard Haythornthwaite"]
quote: "second-class citizens"
source_url: "https://hbr.org/2026/03/why-great-innovations-fail-to-scale"
source_title: "Why Great Innovations Fail to Scale"
sources: ["futures"]
sourceVaultSlug: "hbr-seg-futures"
originDay: 2
articleStem: "hbr-nm-102-innovations-fail-to-scale"
sourceUrl: "https://hbr.org/2026/03/why-great-innovations-fail-to-scale"
sourceTitle: "Why Great Innovations Fail to Scale"
---
# Never making nontechnical leaders 'second-class citizens'

> The firm's board chair at the time, [[entity-richard-haythornthwaite|Richard Haythornthwaite]], told us that [[entity-garry-lyons|Lyons]] never alienated nontechnical leaders by making them feel like **'second-class citizens.'** He met people where they were, earning their trust and commitment in the process…

**Speaker:** [[entity-richard-haythornthwaite|Richard Haythornthwaite]] (former Mastercard board chair). This quote illustrates the empathy dimension of the [[framework-three-functions-of-bridgers|translating]] function and provides third-party evidence of bridger behavior.