Origin
From Japanese 根回し, literally “going around the roots”: ne 根 “root” + mawashi 回し “to turn, go around”; originally a gardening term for preparing a tree’s roots before transplanting.
1A business practice of informally building consensus for a proposed decision by quietly consulting the relevant stakeholders and addressing their concerns in advance, so that the formal meeting serves mainly to ratify a proposal that already enjoys broad support.
2Top-tier consulting done right: senior talent, no bureaucracy, and an obsession with outcomes.