How was Alexander's melodramatic personality both a help and a hindrance?

The Macedonians loved drama and the theatre, so Alexander, who was well known for his flair of the dramatic, would have been very popular with his people. He often became highly melodramatic, which sometimes backfired on him. Many of Alexander's antics were put into play in order to gain or maintain the attention and devotion of his troops. In fact, the ruler often used guilt to the point of detriment. One of the best examples involved allowing the soldiers to believe he was dead and then waiting for several days to reappear on a boat to a cheering crowd.