My long-time friend and fellow practitioner, Bob Erwin of Greenwood, SC, was one of the founders of the mediation movement in the legal profession here in South Carolina. Being one of the pioneers, he was definitely the leading force in making mediation a commonplace practice in our state’s civil litigation system, which theretofore had been all about legal combat. Mediation is a very powerful tool for case resolution through negotiation, and as far as mediators are concerned, Bob is the best of the best.
When Bob mediates a case, during his opening remarks he always includes a reminder that, for mediation to be successful, it is essential that the parties maintain “patience and persistence.” This bit of wisdom is certainly true of mediation, but it is also true of life in general. When I make hasty, impulsive, or angry decisions, I invariably make a mistake. Even though I’m in my sixth decade of life, I still take Bob’s sage advice to heart and feel it’s worth passing along, particularly in light of all that’s happening in the world around us. When you find yourself confronted with a major fork in the road in your personal or professional life, and as you navigate the months to come, think of Bob Erwin and remember: patience and persistence wins the day!
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