One person we’ve both gotten to know through the exchanging of tweets (told ya) is internationally known speaker and best-selling author Dondi Scumaci.

Dondi has become quite a Personal Walking Ambassador of The Go-Giver. We have so much respect for her and the value she adds to the lives of everyone she touches that, when she told us recently that Pindar is often a guest at her company meetings, we asked her if she’d please fill us in on the details.

I have long embraced the idea of book discussion clubs and often recommend them to my clients. For me, it’s not just a recommendation, it’s a corporate discipline. Around here, we choose a business or personal growth book and read it as a team. We hold ourselves accountable with a weekly debrief, discussing what we’ve learned and how we plan to apply those lessons individually and as an organization.

Our latest selection was The Go-Giver.

With this one, we added more than a book to our library. I am delighted to report that we’ve added Pindar. Yes, the Old Man has been attending our meetings! He is always a welcome addition. (He has also been known to show up unannounced for lunch or a cup of coffee.)

It started when we accepted Pindar’s challenge to apply each of the laws, or forfeit the next appointment. And forfeiting was not an option!

As the story unfolded we became rather attached to the marvelous characters, especially to Pindar. Thinking about how I would practice each of the five laws, both personally and professionally, I wondered what the Old Man would say if he met with us—or who he might introduce us to.

So I decided to invite him. Not as an observer, mind you—as a participant.

We don’t have big meetings. They tend to be spontaneous, informal and more non-traditional. We might meet on our feet or while playing a game of strategy. I think Pindar likes it that way, too. I don’t think Pindar will sit through a boring meeting, or one without purpose. And I know for sure that he would not engage in “blame-storming” or excuse-making. He wouldn’t be interested in that at all. (Actually I think it would grieve him.)

Pindar helps us think differently! He asks questions like:

1. How can you increase your value to every contact, client, event … and each other?

2. What are the strategies and disciplines that will allow you to serve more people in better ways?

3. Where are the opportunities to connect people?

4. Do we really allow the Law of Receptivity to operate in us and through us?

5. In what ways are we blocking the flow?

6. How would a Go-Giver approach this problem or opportunity?

7. Who do you want to meet?

It seems fitting that our “Go-Giver debriefs” take place on Fridays: evidently, we are the Friday Guest! And we are always glad to see the Old Man at the table. He makes us better. He challenges us.

That is the sign of really great book. It changes you forever.

Thank you, Bob and John, for such a gift!

Thank you, Dondi, for being such a gift to us, and everyone reading this post. You are awesome, my friend!

Dondi Scumaci is an internationally known author and speaker. Connect with her on Twitter or on her web site. You’ll be glad you did.

“In my efforts to apply the Go-Giver philosophies more fully to my life and business, I’m establishing this long-winded title to a soon-to-exist scholarship: the Montgomery Enterprises LLC Scholarship for Aspiring Young Entrepreneurs.”

Applicants for the scholarship will be required to read five books, including The Go-Giver; Rich Dad, Poor Dad; If You Think You Can, You Can (for Teens) and two others — and then submit an essay on how they’ve applied the principles in the books in their own lives.

To fund the scholarship, he’s putting aside a portion of proceeds from a set of national vending machine placements, and proceeds from sales of a calendar based on his own photographs of scenes in his local Gem County, Idaho. (He’s also considering turning the calendar into a competition for local photographers.)

Now that’s creative entrepreneurship!

This list is a genuine treasure trove. With each listing, Bradley has included links to that author’s web site and principal book, as well as their Twitter handle and a paragraph explaining who they are — and why you should care.

This is a who’s who of must-read, ground-breaking thought leaders. If I’d tried to put together something like this, I think it would have taken me weeks.

Because Bradley’s done it for us, it takes only a click.

Thanks, Bradley! You rock.

I wrote an email to Johan, our South African publisher, and asked him about it. I’m now reading his prompt reply, in which Johan not only tells me who Heinrich is but even provides a rough translation of those book-jacket comments:

“On my visit to the USA in February 2008, I discovered The Go-Giver at CNN’s bookshop at the airport in Atlanta, Georgia. Because the principle used in this book is something I am interested in and have been using in my seminars, I immediately bought the book and read through it while flying from Atlanta to Denver.

“On my return to South Africa, I bought a couple of the books and immediately gave it to family members, friends and business colleagues to read. All of them agreed that this was one of the best books they have read on fundamental business practices.

“Each and every South African should read this book, because this can change an economy of a country.”

“I was happy and excited when Naledi agreed to throw in their weight to publish this book in Afrikaans.”

— Heinrich Kruger, Financial Analyst, Kruger International

Heinrich is being a bit modest; a quick Internet search reveals that he isn’t just a financial analyst with Kruger International, a large South African financial management firm, he is its founder and MD (managing director). Thank you, Heinrich!

In his note, Johan adds:

“Heinrich is a regular co-presenter of a financial program on RSG, which is the largest Afrikaans radio station in South Africa, and he mentions this title as often as possible on [the show].”

Do we get to work with great people, or what?

Afrikaans, Danish, Dutch, French, Hebrew, Indonesian, Japanese, Korean, Polish, Spanish, Thai and Turkish.

Hey, a Go-Giver party game! Can you identify the nationality of each cover?

When told this, Joe’s response was to ask if he would turn into a pumpkin if he didn’t.

In her daily ezine, “Motivate Me! The Daily Dose of Motivational Medicine” our friend, Elle wrote an article entitled, “The Pumpkin Test” bringing up some excellent points that I believe are well worth reading.

Something that has been very gratifying to both John and me is when someone writes to let us know that since reading the book they’ve begun making a habit of applying the laws. As Pindar admonished, “Not by thinking about it, not by talking about it, buy by applying it in {their} life.”

And, they are getting results. And we love it!

How about You? Are you passing Elle and Pindar’s Pumpkin Test? Let us know.

In Search of Excellence
Good to Great
How to Win Friends and Influence People
The Tipping Point
The Long Tail
The E-Myth
7 Habits of Highly Effective People
The Daily Drucker
The Art of War …

… and The Go-Giver.

Our thanks to Kathleen A. Martin, who wrote the piece: thanks, Kathleen — that’s some prestigious company to keep!

While we can’t read Afrikaans, and neither Bablefish nor GoogleTranslate has developed Afrikaans-reading ability yet, we couldn’t help noticing that on the publisher’s home page, where they feature books by such authors as Eckart Tolle and Suze Orman, the book the choose to quite at the top of the page is . . . yes, you guessed it, Die Weg-Gewer!

Earlier this year a reader, Willem S. Eksteen, posted this note on The Go-Giver blog:

This principle is very strong in South African society, and we have a national spirit of giving which is called “Ubunthu,” which strives to promote giving and cooperation between the variety of groups that make up our diverse nation (also labeled the Rainbow Nation by one of our Nobel laureats, Archbishop Desmond Tutu).

Perhaps the book is popular in South Africa! Anyone have any friends there?

Connecting via Facebook with a gentleman I attended college with more than 25 years ago, I learned the fascinating story of The True Nut Company.

Steve Ryder was already a successful business owner as well as very involved in charity work. He and his wife Lucy, along with their daughter Lauren, had the idea to develop a snack that showcased as many local ingredients as possible while tapping into every aspect of their local community, including its people.

Working out of their home kitchen, they took almonds and roasted them with some of the (and I can tell you this from personal experience) most delicious local flavors.

What began as a charity fundraiser featuring dad, daughter, stove and kitchen table has turned into a growing business, directly and indirectly creating jobs for many of the area’s disadvantaged (physical and/or emotionally challenged) through partnerships with non-profit organizations such as First Course and New Hope New Horizons.

I love their mission statement: “Develop delicious snacks and treats that showcase local products and support community service organizations.”

My prediction is that with Steve and Lauren at the helm, along with their guiding philosophical principles of providing value to their customers and their contractors, this business will attain some incredibly tasty (and profitable) results!

Check them out. Their flavored almonds are YUMMY! Be careful though: you could get hooked.

15-year-old Danielle Herb – diagnosed at five years old with ADHD – showed up at the event with a warm, confident smile, along with her young and doting baby sister and her mom/business partner, Marianne St. Clair, with whom she’s already established two businesses. The first was a private alternative school, “The School Without Walls.” The second is an educational training and development company called Drop Your Reigns, a national training and teen mentoring program for kids diagnosed with ADHD or autism.

In doing this, she’s taken her love of horses (and the animals’ innate abilities to have a calming effect on those around them) and a desire to bring value to the lives of others and focused on mitigating the symptoms of ADD, ADHD, and Autism in children without a dependency on medication. This results in hope for the sufferer and an increase in their self-esteem and general well-being.

Says the teen businessperson, “By partnering with horses, we create an experiential learning environment that invites open communication, personal reflection, and increased self-awareness.”

Personally, I just thought she was terrific (and so were her Mom and sis)!

Check out Danielle Herb’s website and forward it to anyone you feel could benefit from knowing about her.