12/09/2024

A Code of Good Behavior for Association Event Attendees

Set behavior expectations and ensure a smooth experience

Examples of questionable event behavior:

1. A member of an association governance committee is loud and domineering at a meeting, precluding others from participating in the committee's deliberations.
2. A registrant at an association convention attends an official social event while obviously inebriated.
3. An exhibitor representative at an association trade show in an open-carry state wears a holstered gun where it can easily be seen.
4. A pre-registered attendee at an association seminar must wait a considerable time to pick up a badge and shouts dissatisfaction for all to hear.
5. A member posting on an association online forum uses insulting and indecent language to describe those with opposing views.

For whatever reason, these kinds of incidents occur more and more frequently at association events; the incidents are troubling to both the associations that operate the events and to those who attend.

Associations invest considerable effort and expense to help assure a safe, welcoming, positive experience for all attendees. Just one disruptive, ill-mannered, offensive individual can significantly damage the experience for all the others and can place association staff in uncomfortable positions. There is even a risk that attendance at future similar events may decline as a result.

Please select this link to read the complete article from ASAE’s Center for Association Leadership.