Chapter 3 Leadership and the Driving Force of Shame: A Social Constructionist Analysis of Narrative

This article uses a social constructionist approach based on ethnography and narrative analysis to understand emotions in leadership. The empirical context of the study is leadership of a theater ensemble's rehearsal process. The study shows that a creative process, such as in a theatrical setting, involves emotional paradoxes. Specifically, the study points out how shame can be used as a leadership tool to increase organizational performance and professional development, rather than for purposes of manipulation as may be typically assumed.