This article considers only the conventional representative bodies which are expected to have a standard structure and abide with / by established rules and conventions.
Convention (according to Cambridge Dictionary):
- a usual or accepted way of behaving
- the accepted or traditional method of doing something
Contemporary Representative Bodies are considered in a separate – dedicated – LinkedIn article.
- not have a “president for life”
- include a Treasurer – amongst the complement of office-bearers
- hold regular elections (usually, annually) – for all “office bearers”
- have a fee-paying membership (with the number of members made publicly known)
- have a constitution
- be formally registered as a “not for profit” Legal Entity
- have established rules on who is eligible for membership
- be associate with a set of Objectives and Key Results (OKRs)
- have a clearly-defined raison d'être (reason or purpose for the representative body’s existence)
- be financially self-sufficient – and not rely on subsidies, grants or other “handouts” (from some "authority") for its viability - which, inevitably creates dependency and obligations
- not be reliant on - or beholden to - any “patrons”, sponsors, special interest groups or individuals
- not be subservient to – or “manipulatable” by - outside “interests”
- serve and support the professional interests of its members
- not serve the interests of any country – or specific individual
- not engage in commercial activities – or any activities which compete against those of its members
- be apolitical and secular
- not aim to play an “academic” role (i.e., avoid aiming to be “anything and everything “– for “one and all”)
- not to have a dual (parallel) governance structure (e.g., Executive Board and Board of Directors) – and certainly not have a “Board” where the board members are “appointed” for an indefinite period
