Exploring a Non-profit Organization’s Character, Soul, and Spirit through a Behavior Conditioning Model
Dr. Dana Brooks Hart, Ms. Mary K. Wilhelm-Chapin, Ms. Helen E. Stepowany, Dr. Thomas C. Curnow

Abstract
Non-profit health and human service organizations are besieged with change mandates by government, stakeholder, and constituent groups. An organization’s identity can become blurred or misaligned with its mission during times of change. In this study we uncovered stakeholders’ perceptions of the organization’s character, soul, and spirit that define its’ unique identity and maintain alignment with the core mission and vision. An appreciative inquiry approach was used to capture the stories of stakeholders who described the journey of a 30- year old organization serving individuals with intellectual disabilities. The shared beliefs and values across seven behavior change conditions were aggregated through a Delphi technique to form the organization’s holistic community model. The study results offer a replicable framework and process for organizations to align their strategic planning and change interventions with stakeholder perceived identity as a community.

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