The Four Types of Value (and Why Clarity Matters)

The Four Types of Value

Most teams are busy.
Fewer are clear about the kind of value they are actually trying to create.

In this Cultivated Notes explainer, I outline a foundational concept from the Idea → Value system: four categories of value that organisations pursue—often without naming them.

Only one directly produces revenue. The others are internal forms of value
— necessary, but ultimately costs
— and frequently misunderstood.

When teams fail to distinguish between these forms, work becomes noisy.
Cost reduction spreads without direction.
Experiments run without closure.
Enablement expands without constraint.
The link between effort and impact becomes harder to see.
And costs often go up.

This note is more technical than most Cultivated Notes pieces.

It is intended as a grounding reference
— a shared language for leaders and teams, and a clearer line of sight between ideas, activity, and outcomes.

Cultivated Notes are short visual companions to the work.
Some are reflective — filmed in quieter, everyday spaces. Others are practical — filmed in the studio and focused on methods and ways of working.
You can watch the note below, or read on where there’s more to explore.