Northern talks - Zero-sum thinking is costly for all

The crisis politics in the North have become particularly tiresome, as they reflect a kind of politics of paralysis. The two sides seem more intent on ensuring that the other side does not make any gains, with the result that their approach has become distinctly negative.

Each side seems to have adopted a zero-sum approach in which it is perceived to have lost anything the other side is seen to gain. This mentality has been fostered over generations. The alternative to this is a win-win attitude in which both sides make gains. There may not have been much progress under the leadership of Ian Paisley and Martin McGuinness, but they were perceived to be talking to each other on civil and even friendly terms. That was indeed progress and, for a change, both sides appeared to be gaining.

The body language and current chemistry between Peter Robinson and Martin McGuinness have been giving off the wrong kind of signals. But the first minister did adopt a more pragmatic and positive attitude in his comments before the talks resumed yesterday.