UdyamGita

When a business is small, everyone is aware of the core vision and mission of the organization, and the core principles remain the same across all verticals and business units. As the business grows, many new people join and many leave. With growth, the focus often shifts more toward revenue, profits, and business expansion than on mission and vision. As a result, there is a high chance that employees, and even customers, may start diverting the business in a direction very different from what was originally envisioned.

If careful eyes do not catch these diversions, and if the business owner does not pay attention to the dilution of organizational culture or deviation from its vision and mission, the business may take a completely different shape. This does not mean that diversification and remodeling are bad. They are often necessary to serve the purpose of the business better, but not to move into a completely different domain unless it is an informed decision.

To avoid this pitfall, it is always better to reinforce the culture again and again through various means, such as documentation, training, and repetition during all hands meetings. When new people join, ensuring that they are trained on the organization’s legacy, culture, vision, and mission right from the beginning is critical. With repeated reinforcement, the organization can carry forward its legacy for a long time.

Krishna now introduces a warning. Even sacred knowledge, transmitted through a noble lineage, can fade—not because it is flawed, but because time dilutes attention. When custodians change and vigilance weakens, the essence is forgotten, even if the outer form survives.

This verse is not about loss due to opposition, but loss due to neglect.

Business Insight

In the early days of a business, the vision is alive. Everyone knows why the company exists, what it stands for, and how decisions are made. The founding principles are clear and shared instinctively.

As the organization grows:

• People join and leave
• Layers of management emerge
• Revenue, profits, and expansion take center stage

Slowly, the original mission risks becoming a poster on the wall rather than a principle in action. Employees—and sometimes even customers—may begin steering the business in directions never originally intended.

This drift is rarely dramatic. It happens quietly, decision by decision.

Leadership Lesson

The founder’s real responsibility is not just growth, but guardianship.

Diversification, remodeling, and evolution are not wrong—they are often essential. But they must be conscious choices, not accidental outcomes of neglect. When leaders fail to notice cultural dilution or vision drift, the business may succeed financially yet lose its soul.

Strong leaders continuously reinforce:

• Why the company was founded
• What it will never compromise on
• How growth should serve purpose, not replace it

Culture does not sustain itself. It must be taught, repeated, and protected.

Key Takeaways

• Vision fades faster than strategy if not reinforced.
• Growth increases the risk of cultural dilution.
• Revenue focus without purpose leads to silent drift.
• Reinforce culture through documentation, training, and rituals.
• Onboard new hires into legacy, not just roles.