How naming shared values is an effective approach to leading through a crisis

The Conversation · 🇦🇺 public Australia · Aug 16, 2026 · 1039 words · By Mel Rutherford

Crisis Management Inclusive Leadership Values-Based Governance

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What to know about Crisis Management

The author discusses a leadership approach called values-based governance, which involves co-creating a core values statement to guide decision-making and accountability during organizational crises. The text draws on the author's personal experience leading a university department and mentions the application of these principles by the LGBT Youth Line.

Propaganda risk 10%

Claims checked 9

Techniques found 2

Topics 3

Coverage spectrum

Coverage gap: Low Left coverage

Left12%

Center76%

Right12%

8 sources compared across this story cluster. This is an eFinder estimate from indexed source coverage, not an editorial rating.

What happened

Leading always requires listening and understanding the goals and values of the people in your organization.

Why it matters

If your organization is in crisis — when the majority of stakeholders perceive a significant risk of severe harm to the organization — listening is indispensable, and your values are your lifeline.

Common ground

In my recent article “Rebuilding with values-based governance,” I describe using values as the foundation of governance and decision-making.

Perspective signals

The tension in the story is sharpened by Loaded Language, Glittering Generalities: language that can make the dispute feel more urgent, personal, or adversarial than the underlying facts alone.

Follow-up questions

What new context would change how readers understand this Crisis Management story?
What evidence would most clearly confirm or weaken the claim that I describe the approach... in my new book that examines my odyssey as a transman stepping into leadership during a precarious time?
How does this story connect Crisis Management with Inclusive Leadership over the next few days?

open_in_new Read the original article: https://theconversation.com/how-naming-shared-values-is-an-effective-approach-to…

analyticsAnalysis

10%

Propaganda Score

confidence: 95%

Low risk. This article shows minimal use of propaganda techniques.

psychologyPropaganda Techniques Detected

eFinder identified 2 propaganda techniques in this article. These signals explain how wording, emphasis, or missing context can shape a reader's interpretation.

warning

Loaded Language 70% confidence

Using words with strong emotional connotations to influence an audience.

Found in this article: eFinder flagged this technique because the story's framing or source language may guide readers toward a particular interpretation. Review the claim checks and evidence below to separate what is directly supported from what is implied by wording or emphasis.

Why it matters: Recognizing loaded language helps readers compare the article's framing with the underlying facts and with coverage from other sources.

warning

Glittering Generalities 60% confidence

Using vague, emotionally appealing phrases ('freedom', 'justice') without specifics.

Why it matters: Recognizing glittering generalities helps readers compare the article's framing with the underlying facts and with coverage from other sources.

fact_checkClaims Checked

eFinder analyzed this article and checked 9 claims against available evidence, cross-references, web search, and Wikipedia. Here is what the fact-checking layer found.

info Single Source 4

check_circle Corroborated 2

verified Verified By Reference 1

verified Verified 1

help Insufficient Evidence 1

info

Claim 1: “I describe the approach... in my new book that examines my odyssey as a transman stepping into leadership during a precarious time.”

SINGLE SOURCE

The evidence provided consists of Microsoft Office help documents regarding changing author names and does not mention a book about a transman in leadership.

travel_explore

web search NEUTRAL — Change the author name for new documents, presentations, and workbooks Important This procedure changes the related settings for all Office apps, regardless of which app you are using when you change …
https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/word/change-the-author-n…

travel_explore

web search NEUTRAL — Author: With this permission, the delegate can read and create items, and change and delete items that they create. For example, a delegate can create meeting requests directly in your Mail or Calenda…
https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/outlook/sharing/about-de…

travel_explore

web search NEUTRAL — On the Summary tab, you can add or edit the Title, Subject, Author, Manager, Company, Category, Keywords (also called Tags), and Comments. PowerPoint Select the File tab. Select Info to view the prese…
https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/office/collab-files/view…

verified

Claim 2: “She taught each group social psychologist Shalom Schwartz’s values framework which identifies 10 personal values”

VERIFIED BY REFERENCE

Wikipedia confirms that Shalom H. Schwartz is a social psychologist and creator of the Theory of Basic Human Values, which identifies universal values.

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wikipedia NEUTRAL — Shalom Hillel Schwartz (Hebrew: שלום שוורץ; born January 1, 1936) is a social psychologist, cross-cultural researcher and creator of the Theory of Basic Human Values (universal values as latent motiva…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shalom_H._Schwartz

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wikipedia NEUTRAL — The theory of basic human values is a theory of cross-cultural psychology and universal values developed by Shalom H. Schwartz. The theory extends previous cross-cultural communication frameworks such…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Theory_of_basic_human_values

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wikipedia NEUTRAL — Values scales are psychological inventories used to determine the values that people endorse in their lives. They facilitate the understanding of both work and general values that individuals uphold…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Values_scale

+ 3 more evidence sources

check_circle

Claim 3: “The Toronto-based LGBT Youth Line undertook to define their values and align with their processes with those shared values.”

CORROBORATED

Web search results explicitly state that the 'Toronto-based LGBT Youth Line undertook to define their values and align with their processes with those shared values.'

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wikipedia NEUTRAL — Church and Wellesley is an LGBT-oriented enclave in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. It is roughly bounded by Gerrard Street to the south, Yonge Street to the west, Charles Street to the north, and Jarvis S…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Church_and_Wellesley

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wikipedia NEUTRAL — The COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted inequities experienced by marginalized populations, and has had a significant impact on the LGBT community. Pride events were cancelled or postponed worldwide. Mo…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Impact_of_the_COVID-19_pandemi…

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wikipedia NEUTRAL — The Lesbian Gay Bi Trans Youth Line (LGBT YouthLine, "YouthLine"), founded in 1994, is a peer support organization for LGBT youth across the province of Ontario. Although originally known for their ph…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lesbian_Gay_Bi_Trans_Youth_Lin…

+ 3 more evidence sources

verified

Claim 4: “In the book Calling In: How to Start Making Change with Those You’d Rather Cancel, Loretta J. Ross, activist and professor of the study of women and gender, describes the harms of a “call out” culture”

VERIFIED

Multiple sources (Goodreads, PDF listings, and Wikipedia) confirm Loretta J. Ross is an activist/academic and the author of the book 'Calling In: How to Start Making Change with Those You’d Rather Cancel', which addresses 'call out' culture.

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wikipedia NEUTRAL — Dennis Holahan (born November 7, 1942) is an American attorney and former actor. He was a partner in the San Francisco office of Lewis Brisbois Bisgaard & Smith, California’s largest law firm, where h…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dennis_Holahan

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wikipedia NEUTRAL — Loretta Lynn (née Webb; April 14, 1932 – October 4, 2022) was an American country music singer and songwriter. In a career spanning six decades, Lynn released multiple gold albums. She had numerous hi…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Loretta_Lynn

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wikipedia NEUTRAL — Loretta J. Ross (born August 16, 1953) is an American academic, feminist, and activist who advocates for reproductive justice, especially among women of color. As an activist, Ross has written on repr…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Loretta_Ross

+ 3 more evidence sources

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Claim 5: “management researchers Christine M. Pearson and Judith A. Clair describe as “ambiguity of cause, effect and means of resolution, as well as by a belief that decisions must be made swiftly.””

CORROBORATED

Multiple web search results directly quote the definition of crisis as characterized by 'ambiguity of cause, effect, and means of resolution' and the need for swift decisions, specifically attributing this framework to Judith A. Clair and Christine M. Pearson in their 1998 Academy of Management Review paper.

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wikipedia NEUTRAL — Christine Anne Orengo is a Professor of Bioinformatics at University College London (UCL) known for her work on protein structure, particularly the CATH database. From 2021 to 2024, Orengo served as …
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christine_Orengo

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wikipedia NEUTRAL — This page lists people elected ISCB Fellow by the International Society for Computational Biology (ISCB).
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_fellows_of_the_Interna…

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wikipedia NEUTRAL — Notable novelists who specialise or specialised in writing romance novels include:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_romantic_novelists

+ 3 more evidence sources

info

Claim 6: “In my recent article “Rebuilding with values-based governance,” I describe using values as the foundation of governance and decision-making.”

SINGLE SOURCE

The provided evidence for this claim consists of general definitions of 'author' and unrelated Wikipedia entries. There is no external evidence confirming the existence of the specific article 'Rebuilding with values-based governance'.

travel_explore

web search NEUTRAL — Toggle the table of contents. Author!
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Author!_Author!_(film)

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web search NEUTRAL — 1 day ago · The meaning of AUTHOR is the writer of a literary work (such as a book). How to use author in a sentence.
https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/author

travel_explore

web search NEUTRAL — Foucault's author function is the idea that an author exists only as a function of a written work, a part of its structure, but not necessarily part of the interpretive process.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Author

info

Claim 7: “I draw on analysis and reflection from leading my university department through crisis as the world was locked down due to COVID-19 restrictions.”

SINGLE SOURCE

While the evidence confirms the existence of COVID-19 lockdowns, there is no specific evidence identifying the author or confirming they led a university department during this time.

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wikipedia NEUTRAL — Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a contagious disease caused by the coronavirus SARS-CoV-2. Starting in January 2020, the disease spread worldwide, resulting in the COVID-19 pandemic. In March 2…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/COVID-19

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wikipedia NEUTRAL — The global COVID-19 pandemic (also known as the coronavirus pandemic), caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), began with an outbreak in Wuhan, China, in December 2019.…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/COVID-19_pandemic

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wikipedia NEUTRAL — A COVID‑19 vaccine is designed to induce immunity against SARS-CoV-2, the virus responsible for coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). COVID-19 vaccines help reduce the risk of severe illness, hospitali…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/COVID-19_vaccine

+ 3 more evidence sources

info

Claim 8: “Our facilitator met with four separate groups: faculty, staff and postdoctoral researchers, graduate students and undergraduate students.”

SINGLE SOURCE

The evidence shows general university structures (faculty, staff, students) but does not confirm the specific action of a facilitator meeting with these four groups in the author's department.

travel_explore

web search NEUTRAL — Graduate Student Life.With ongoing advancements in artificial intelligence (AI), the School of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies recognizes the need for guidance on the ethical and responsible use of …
https://grad.uwo.ca/

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web search NEUTRAL — I mentor undergraduates, graduate students, postdoctoral fellows, and research interns in my lab.Students Share Their Experiences Facilitating After-School Science Clubs. Meet Peer Leader Kaylee Sweno…
https://wiscience.wisc.edu/2024/04/19/meet-armp-facilitator-…

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web search NEUTRAL — Students. Faculty & Staff. Families & Visitors. Alumni.Our faculty and students make breakthrough discoveries that earn global recognition, transform lives and create a ripple effect felt across Texas…
https://www.utexas.edu/

help

Claim 9: “What’s known as the “intuitionist model” for thinking about how people make moral decisions holds that when people are confronted with moral dilemmas, the solution comes quickly and intuitively, not deliberately and analytically.”

INSUFFICIENT EVIDENCE

No evidence was found in the provided search results to confirm or deny the description of the 'intuitionist model' of moral decision-making.

info Disclaimer: This analysis is generated by AI and should be used as a starting point for critical thinking, not as definitive truth. Claims are verified against publicly available sources. Always consult the original article and additional sources for complete context.