Stakeholder Management
There are things a project lead would dearly love to ignore—and high on that list are stakeholders. The only problem is: ignored stakeholders always come back. And by then, they are rarely in a forgiving mood.
Opera, as ever, knows this lesson by heart. If you don’t keep your power players close, you should be prepared for dramatic plot twists—often in the third act, when you can least afford them. Let’s look at a few classic mistakes and how they play out in famous operas.
The biggest mistake: Completely ignoring a stakeholder
Some people truly believe they can simply blank out an inconvenient stakeholder. The strategy goes something like: “If I ignore them long enough, perhaps they’ll forget they ever wanted something from me.”
A perfect example? Mozart’s Don Giovanni.
This self-absorbed daredevil is the living embodiment of catastrophic stakeholder management. He seduces, he promises, he deceives—and then disappears the moment things turn uncomfortable. His greatest mistake? Underestimating his angriest—and most powerful—stakeholder: the Commendatore (the slain commander who returns with supernatural authority).
Had Don Giovanni been smart, he would have dealt with that force early, before escalation became inevitable. But no—he ignores the problem. And in the end, he goes straight to hell. Opera can be very clear about consequences.
Project lesson:
Stakeholders do not simply vanish. If you believe problems will solve themselves, you are essentially scheduling your own very painful finale.
Playing stakeholders against each other: A dangerous game
In some projects, people try to pit stakeholders against one another to buy themselves time. The idea: “As long as they’re fighting each other, they’ll leave me alone.”
A brilliant—and fatal—example? Verdi’s Aida.
Radamès, the Egyptian military hero, is trapped between two fronts: his secret beloved Aida (a stakeholder with deep emotional interests) and the official power structure embodied by Princess Amneris (a stakeholder with political leverage and institutional muscle).
Instead of taking a clear position early and managing expectations with an actual strategy, Radamès tries to use both sides—until both sides turn against him. The result is total loss: love, career, and life. Verdi does not do partial penalties.
Project lesson:
Stakeholders do have different interests—but trying to weaponize those differences usually ends in disaster. Better: involve them early, communicate honestly, and manage expectations before the temperature rises.
Underestimating a stakeholder’s expectations
A classic trap: you assume a stakeholder is harmless because they’re quiet at the beginning. Then comes the moment they finally speak—and the entire project starts wobbling like a tenor on an icy staircase.
Need an example? Mozart’s The Magic Flute (Die Zauberflöte).
Prince Tamino believes his greatest problem is Sarastro—the wise high priest he has been warned about by the Queen of the Night. What does he miss? The Queen herself is the truly formidable stakeholder, with her own agenda and power base. And when Tamino stops playing along, she reveals her real face—sending her daughter Pamina off with a murderous command.
Had Tamino taken her seriously earlier, diplomacy might have been possible. But he realizes it too late—and suddenly he’s caught between two warring centers of power.
Project lesson:
Never underestimate the quiet stakeholder. Silence at the start does not mean low influence. It often means someone is watching—carefully—and waiting for the right moment to move the entire board.
Trying to keep too many stakeholders happy—and delivering nothing
The evergreen classic: you try to please everyone. But whoever wants to satisfy everyone usually ends up satisfying no one.
For that, Wagner immediately comes to mind: Tannhäuser.
Tannhäuser stands between two worlds: the sensual, indulgent Venusberg and the strict social order of the Wartburg. He wants both. Yet instead of choosing a clear path, he zigzags—restless, indecisive, constantly switching allegiances—and collapses in the end.
Had he made a clear decision early, he might have spared himself a great deal of suffering. Wagner, however, is not in the business of gentle coaching.
Project lesson:
When stakeholders have conflicting expectations, it doesn’t help to keep changing course. You need a clear line—or you will fragment into activity without outcomes.
Conclusion: Stakeholder management is survival management
Whether in opera or in projects, stakeholders want to be heard. Ignore them, underestimate them, or manipulate them—and you will regret it by the third act.
The most important rule is simple: talk to them before you have to fight them.
Because opera rarely offers a happy ending for bad stakeholder management—and real life is, frankly, not much softer either.