Damage Control...Chi Omega

Damage Control….

How does a company effectively recover from crisis situations within the organization? When your business is in the public eye it is important to remain favorable to the public and also with other companies in the industry. However, when disastrous situations spontaneously arise what can be done to do damage control and save the face of an organization?

We can all apply these questions to our own life about how to rebuild reputation and do damage control. I have been a member of the Chi Omega sorority for four years and never have I had to deal with having to justify myself to others, then recently when members of our organization were involved in a hazing incident last semester with a fellow USU student that died. That crisis situation has not only affected our organization but has also affected all clubs, groups and similar organizations at USU. This unfortunate incident has affected the family and friends of the boy that died.

Chi Omega, the organization that I have come to love so much and be a part of for four years, has ultimately been shut down. Well before the press caught wind of our chapter being closed, I already knew what was going on and chose to keep quiet. It’s heartbreaking because the Greek system entirely can have a negative connotation associated with it. Images on movies like ‘Animal House’ portray Greeks as beer guzzling, unintelligent drunks looking to party. Rarely do you hear of the good that Greeks do or the service that they render because of negative preconceived notions of what fraternities and sororities are. In Chi Omega we always try to counteract that portrayal by sustaining good PR interactions with people on campus and within the community. What I mean by “sustaining good PR interactions” entails that as a member of Chi Omega we try to build a good representation of ourselves by becoming involved on campus, getting to know our professors, excelling in our studies, service involvement in the community, etc.

Good PR is vital to all businesses and corporations looking to thrive in their industry. It can inherently affect the company for better or worse. The hazing incident affected Chi Omega as an organization in a negative light. The public makes assumptions based off of information that the media spins that sometimes is true, but a lot of times is fabricated. It’s important for organizations, to internally look to fix problems or concerns that might innately look negative from an outsiders or publics point of view.