pitch-rolling
verb

- the process of preparing people for change that may be unpopular

- the act of softening public or organizational opinion in advance of an unwelcome policy or shift

- a method of gradually introducing difficult ideas to avoid strong opposition, especially in business or government

Collins Advanced Learner’s Dictionary, Oxford English Dictionary, Cambridge Dictionary

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WORD ORIGIN

"Pitch-rolling" is a British political coinage from the early 2010s, blending "pitch" (the playing field in cricket or football, from Old English pytt, meaning "hollow" or "field," evolving via Middle English to denote a sports ground by the 19th century) with "rolling" (the practice of flattening the turf using a heavy roller), from Old English rollen, "to turn over.”

Groundskeepers have rolled pitches since the 18th century to ensure even play, a ritual captured in Jane Austen's era when cricket boomed. Former PM David Cameron popularized the metaphor around 2010-2015 in his memoirs and speeches, likening policy prep to readying the field for a tough match—smoothing bumps so the "ball" (the change) bounces predictably.

It first hit print in a 2015 Daily Telegraph op-ed on austerity measures. By 2020, it crossed into business via HR journals. It's a vivid import from sport to strategy, underscoring how games shape language.

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QUOTABLE QUOTE

“A diplomat is a person who can tell you to go to hell in such a way that you actually look forward to the trip.” — Caskie Stinnett (1967).

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SYNONYMS

acclimating, break it gently, butter up, build buy-in, desensitizing, ease into it, framing, grease the wheels, groundwork, inoculating, lay the groundwork, pave the way, PITCH-ROLLING, plant the seed, preconditioning, prime the pump, priming, seed the idea, set the stage, smooth the path, softening, tenderizing, warm the crowd

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SMUGGLE
 OWAD into a conversation today, say something like:

“As in cricket, PITCH-ROLLING is meant to smooth the ground for the communication game.”

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P L E A S E   S U P P O R T   O W A D