[tky]

This seems less like professional speaking and more like preemptive feelings management.

As a gen-x’er, I find myself having to navigate these waters often as directness is likened to being unnecessarily aggressive, rude, inappropriate, etc.

I would never speak like this and would quickly disabuse others using this style of speech. You’ll do more harm trying to be saccharine than just saying what you mean in an appropriate tone.