The Next Level-David Gregory

The Next Level
David Gregory
Waterbrook, Feb 2008, $12.99
ISBN: 9781400072439

Logan Bell quit his first job after graduating with a business degree; he hated his boss the jerk and felt out of place as a human resource specialist. He would prefer to play games, but dad the business executive keeps asking the question: have you found your next job?

He visits Universal Systems where the number two guy the Director asks him what he wants to be; he says an organizational development analyst who looks for problems. The Director hires him as the first OD in the massive organization and sends him to the first level to analyze what he sees and report back to him his findings. When the Director feels he understands that level, he will go on to study Levels 2-5 sequentially. Logan soon realizes that the employees of Level 1 never perform anything related to the goals of the company. The Director sends him to Level 2 as Logan begins to understand how Universal Systems operates and makes a profit.

This entertaining easy to read and comprehend parable actually works on two levels. First there is an obvious business application involving the staff working to achieve the company’s strategic goals instead of their own agenda or their individual interpretation of the top management objectives. However, on a much deeper level, David Gregory makes a case that for people to feel their life is complete with a high sense of self actualization they must look beyond themselves to choose freely to encompass God’s plan for guidance; for that is maximizing one’s self on the fifth level. Although enjoyable with a fascinating concept, this reviewer doubts many readers will take to heart David Gregory’s well written “parable of finding your place in life”.

Harriet Klausner