What is Nemawashi (根回し)?

Nemawashi is a Japanese concept that literally means “digging around the roots”—a term from horticulture that refers to the careful preparation of a tree before it is transplanted. In a business context, Nemawashi refers to the informal process of consultation and consensus-building that takes place before a formal decision is made.

The essence of Nemawashi is that the initiator of a proposal holds individual discussions with all relevant stakeholders in advance, outside the formal meeting structure. During these conversations, the idea is presented, objections and concerns are identified, and the proposal is adjusted as necessary. By the time formal decision-making takes place, there is already a broad understanding of the proposal, and most objections have already been addressed.

This makes nemawashi seem time-consuming, but in practice it is actually efficient: because everyone has already been consulted, the formal meeting proceeds quickly and without unexpected resistance. Implementation can begin immediately, without the delays that arise when decisions are imposed from the top down and only then meet with resistance.

Within Toyota, nemawashi is closely linked to ringi, the formal system of written approval through multiple levels of the organization. Nemawashi is the informal preparatory process that ensures the ringi procedure runs smoothly. Together, they reflect a decision-making culture in which consensus and feasibility take precedence over the speed of decision-making.

Within the broader Lean, Nemawashi aligns with the principle of respect for people: those involved are not presented with a done-deal decision, but are treated as full partners in the discussion from the very beginning.

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