Some situations are layered. You can only delve in one layer at a time. You peel the first layer, only to find a second layer. To peel the onion is to approach a problem slowly, peeling away one layer at a time, to gain a thorough understanding of what you’re dealing with.
Peeling the onion is a process of asking questions until you reveal the truth at the core. You can peel your own onion, delving into your own motivations and emotions. You can peel the onion when analyzing a problem, conducting a job interview, or when getting to know someone in an intimate relationship.
What’s going on? Is the situation more than it appears on the surface? How can you peel the onion?
See also: Root causes, Org chart, Deep dive, Decision tree, Layer cake, Puzzle, Pyramid, Altitude.
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