alt Hacker NewsI actually think it’s more about the emotional maturity to cut to the chase and address someone’s actual concerns.
I’m a big fan of bluntness / honest feedback, but it can still be done very rudely when inappropriate
like the svp observed that the ic was saying the details, not because the ic needed to share them, but because the ic was anxious that the svp didn’t view them as competent. So the svp cut to the chase and addressed that directly
For your food example, a host might ask if you like the food - not because they care about their cooking skills - but just want to make sure you had a good time. So, saying you don’t like the food and giving cooking suggestions would need to be accompanied by some reassurance that you still enjoyed their company or beautiful home or something. Otherwise it’s still rude
In the most recent case of food, it was a friend's cooking. I was more afraid that I would be pressured to have more of the food I didn't like, so I told them something like "you know, I really don't think this is my thing." Every people-pleasing instinct that I had told me to lie and say that I liked the food, because it was something they worked on and I don't want to disappoint people, but I fought through that.
They didn't seem to be too upset over it, but they know me pretty well.