Which do you aspire to reach: “The Next Level” or “A Higher Level”?  The expressions mean two very different things to me.

I just read an article about a leadership change in a local organization, where  the board chairman commented about  setting the organization up “for the next person to take it to the next level”.  Just what does that mean?  What’s next?  Is it better?  Or just different?  Is the goal to reach another plateau?  For that matter, “the next level” could actually be lower!

My preference is to be more specific regarding the directional aspirations of the organization.  At the very least, reaching for “a higher level” indicates improvement.  It doesn’t mean staying  flat, nor does it imply that progress is straight up. I recently expounded upon what this idea means to me (A Higher Level) so I welcome you to review those thoughts if you missed them originally.  I like the idea of steady movement upward, understanding that there will be dips and turns along the way.  The idea is to keep climbing.

Choose your expressions wisely, since they reveal a great deal about your mindset.   You can be vague or specific; you can also be content or aspirational.  Those around you will benefit from knowing which approach you believe in; your choice will also define you and influence the actions you take.  Will you step up to “the next level” or climb to “a higher level”?  You can bet the view will be better the higher you go.  Enjoy the Journey!