How Good Boards Lose Their Way and Find Their Way Back

"Boards do not lose their way overnight; it is the small choices over time that lead them astray."

In this webinar from Institute for Organization Management, Marie Stravlo, CEO of Avolo Solutions and founder of Governance Gal, explores the subtle but dangerous phenomenon of "Ethical Drift." Unlike major scandals that happen largely at once, ethical drift is a slow erosion of standards where shortcuts, rationalizations, and power dynamics gradually push a board off course.

Stravlo breaks down the psychological traps that even well-meaning boards fall into—such as groupthink, moral licensing, and conflict avoidance—and provides actionable frameworks to recognize early warning signs. Learn how to recenter your organization on its fiduciary duties (Care, Loyalty, and Obedience) and implement practical tools to correct course before a crisis hits.

In this video, you will learn:

• The Three Fiduciary Duties: A refresher on the legal and ethical baselines for board members.
• The "Hiking Trail" Analogy: How one small step off the path creates a new, dangerous norm.
• Root Causes of Drift: How rationalization and expediency ("just this once") weaken governance.
• Power Dynamics: Identifying silent killers like emotional debt, reciprocal favors, and deference to dominant voices.
• Psychological Traps: Understanding diffusion of responsibility, outcome bias, and overconfidence.
• The Solution: Practical steps to "find the way back," including pre-meeting surveys, better minutes, and culture audits.

Feature Speaker: Marie Stravlo, CEO of Avolo Solutions & Founder of Governance Gal