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The more trust and respect there is among a group of people, the more direct they can be with each other, without coming off as harsh.

There is a lot of implicit communication in a relationship with deep trust and respect at its core. You can say less, very directly, and usually get what you want, without offending anyone.

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Yes. The trick is good rapport, a sense of humor, and respect rather than familiarity leading to contempt.

One anti-pattern I've seen is the "big fish in tiny bowl" syndrome where a certain person evolves over the years into an overpaid, arrogant asshole.

Also the problem with formulaic wording, as prescribed in the blog, is that it promotes overthinking about the wrong thing. You overthink the particular phrasing and intonation, rather than thinking about how to improve your relationship with others which would yield substantially more positive results. And when you hesitate from overthinking, people can sense that you're not being authentic or genuine.

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