Oh gosh, I completely know what you mean.
My go-to method nowadays is to ask them.
Would you like to hear something that I think you want to hear?
Or would you like my version of the truth which you might not find very nice to hear?
By giving people an option, they have a choice which they have given me permission to do.
It has saved me quite a few times as in that sometimes people were just NOT ready to hear my perspective of truth on a situation (maybe because they knew it was THE truth?)
Anyway, I can verify, this works! :)
Great strategy!