A kind word is nice to the cat, but even more so to the victim.
If you want to criticize your interlocutor in something or somehow point out his shortcomings, but at the same time to preserve the relationship, it is better to take my little advice.
First of all, do it in private.
Secondly, before you cut the truth and everything else, praise the person. It absolutely does not matter what exactly you will praise, the main thing - specifically for something and not duty phrases.
For example: "I appreciate you, Mike/Peter/Marty, for your scrupulousness and balanced decision-making, and I thank you for your caring attitude towards the problem. But, I noticed..."
