A mission statement is what defines an organization's purpose and provides the foundation for everything it does (Aguinis, 2009). Additionally, the vision statement indicates where the organization wants to be in the future (Cady, Wheeler, DeWolf, and Brodke, 2011). Therefore, it is important to ensure that the organization has a good, clear and concise mission and vision statement. According to Aguinis (2009), an ideal mission and vision statement stand has eight different characteristics. The mission statement should describe what they do, their market, their unique advantages, the technology they use, their concern for survival, their management philosophy, the public image they desire and their concept of business (Aguinis, 2009). On the other hand, the vision statement must be brief, verifiable, time-bound, current, focused, understandable, inspiring and difficult to achieve (Aguinis, 2009). The mission statement of the National Environmental Health Association (NEHA) is “to advance professional health and environmental protection with the goal of providing a healthy environment for all” (NEHA, 2011, ¶ 1). Additionally, NEHA does not have a vision statement. Instead, they have a strategic direction that focuses on directions, not destinations. The organization believes that focusing on direction will enable it to change course quickly if a change is appropriate. Additionally, NEHA's strategic direction includes training, education, accreditation, advocacy, and organizational capacity (NEHA, 2011). Therefore, based on Aguinis' criteria, NEHA's mission statement is missing seven of the eight elements and only addresses the identity of its customers, environmental health and...... in the middle of paper......transformation is where they are going and how they plan to get there (Cady, Wheeler, DeWolf, & Brodke, 2011). Unfortunately, NEHA lacks real strategic direction since its mission statement is too vague and it has no vision for the future. Although they have a strategic direction statement, it is not linked to a clear mission or vision and therefore is also not very useful in aligning the organization. For an organization to realize its full potential and remain competitive, it must have a strong mission and vision statement. “A vision alone is but a dream. Coupled with a mission, the vision is a destination” (Dossenbach, 2001). NEHA must have a destination if it is to continue to be the association to which the environmental health and protection specialist turns for education, professional advancement and knowledge of the environmental health field..