> This. Striking a tone of curiosity helps soften what you're saying, The way you phrased it: Yes, many will rightfully respond poorly to it. Difficult Conver

> This. Striking a tone of curiosity helps soften what you're saying, The way you phrased it: Yes, many will rightfully respond poorly to it. Difficult Conversations is the first book I read on communications, and it has advice most such books have: 1. Don't act curious. Be curious. You have to set the tone, but it isn't sufficient. 2. Don't deliver messages. Be curious. If a tone of curiosity is just an avenue to delivering a message, then this will annoy people. People don't like leading questions masquerading as curiosity. Likely this is not what you meant to say - I'm merely criticizing your phrasing of it.