‘Diamonds in the Soles of Her Shoes’ is the title of a Paul Simon song on his re-known Graceland Album, released in 1986. The inspiration for and reality within Graceland arose from a trip Paul took to South Africa to collaborate and co-create with musicians there. The resultant music was new. African musicians, such as Ladysmith Black Mombazo, were for the first time put on a world stage and, through music, a different kind of attention was called to the extreme issue of apartheid in the late 1980s. 

The trip was controversial because the UN and the ANC (African National Congress) had, at that time, called for a boycott on cultural exchanges. Paul’s visit and resultant collaborations were interpreted by many as dismissal of the boycott and weakening of efforts to end apartheid. This original trip, its longer-term effects, the controversy, and a return to SA for a reunion concert are movingly documented in the 2008 film, Under African Skies.

In the film, several African musicians expressed their profound gratitude for the collaborations, speaking about how their confidence and belief in self was deepened.  At the same time, Paul was continually reminded that these same musicians returned from world tours to live once again in excessively oppressive systems and structures that could easily kill their creativity and very existence. 

And there we have it. Two views, one focused on the individual and one on the larger systems, that seem to stand as either-or realities when they are simply and profoundly ends of a continuum of ‘players’ that must be attended to in any process of change.

My own work with leaders for over 30 years has addressed this full continuum, with special emphasis upon how an individual ‘shows up’…walking on coals or diamonds. This, for me, translates into how, in daily reality, a leader may bring her worst (coals) or her best (diamonds) to decision-making, problem-solving or navigating change. And of course, this interest, when it was combined with that of Barbara and Gordon, was the genesis of the Personal Leadership approach.  In fact, some years ago I offered public seminars using PL to focus on stress reduction.  The name of that seminar was, you guessed it, ‘Turning Coals into Diamonds.’

This metaphor I think particularity powerful and appropriate for, as we know, under the right geologic conditions, coal does transform into diamonds. Why not let ourselves be guided by this mystery of nature? Why not commit to managing our own state of being with Grace, intentionally shifting, for example, from annoyance and irritation into warm-heartedness?  Why not show up in full integrity offering nothing less than our own brilliance to all with whom we walk?