Arvind Kejriwal is an Indian politician, social activist and former civil servant who was the 7th Chief Minister of Delhi from 28 December 2013 to 14 February 2014 during the Fifth Legislative Assembly of Delhi.

Today, his party won elections in Delhi with extraordinary results, making a clear statement.

Here are 10 lessons every entrepreneurs must learn from Arvind Kejriwal.

  1. No caste background and no political lineage, Arvind Kejriwal is the only face of middle-class representation in Indian politics today. Clearly, anyone from any class, if determined and have clear focus can achieve great success.
  2. After joining IRS in 1995, Arvind Kejriwal soon realized that he is misfit in the services. But he did not leave his job immediately. Clearly focusing on an old saying – One must not take instant and abrupt actions without any backup plan.
  3. Arvind Kejriwal treaded without fear into the muddle of Indian politics. Undoubtedly showcasing that if you want to grow in any domain especially business, which is closely related to politics, you must give away the factor of fear.
  4. A new idea is always welcomed if proven viable. Arvind Kejriwal changed political disclosure by insisting on corruption-free agenda. He succeeded well in closing the gap that existed among people in Delhi and earlier governments. Accordingly, if you have an idea then start working on it, make a viable product – you yourself will come to know about its future.
  5. Believing yourself is as crucial as trusting your idea. Even after being written off by everyone, Arvind Kejriwal never lost faith in himself and his ideals – A quality every entrepreneur must possess.
  6. Nobody said that working in the real world would be easy. Arvind Kejriwal first agitated, then fasted and then he fought. He won after doing so many things well in time. So, if current ways are not working and not taking you to where you desire then instead of leaving the battle, Change your methods and fight hard.
  7. Your business and its employees are a reflection of yourself, and if you make honest and ethical behavior a key value, your team will follow suit. Arvind Kejriwal raised the bar by holding himself in an ethical plane; and his team followed well – quality usually seen in great leaders.
  8. Knowing what you want accomplished may seem clear in your head, but if you try to explain it to someone else and are met with a blank expression, you know there is a problem. Being able to clearly and succinctly describe what you want done is extremely important. Arvind Kejriwal did this job well as he was very vocal and clear on his thoughts. Thus, if you can’t relate your vision to your team, you won’t all be working towards the same goal.
  9. When leading a team through uncharted waters, there is no roadmap on what to do. Situations change and thus one must evolve with the changing situation. Drawing on past experience is a good reflex, as is reaching out to your mentors for support. Eventually though, the tough decisions will be up to you to decide and you will need to depend on your gut instinct for answers. Arvind Kejriwal started with mentor Anna Hazare and never hesitated to get in touch with him whenever required.
  10. Never be ashamed to accept your mistakes. Improvement starts with acceptance. This certainly aided Arvind Kejriwal in inspiring so many youngsters who in turn provided unconditional support – major reason for his big win.

Credit- Anirudh Vashishth on Linkedin Pulse