Subtly is a great skill if you can make it work. Unfortunately for me it is a skill I was never any good at. Like the song says subtle as a chain saw, that is me I just put it out there and more then once that has gotten me into trouble. I can be blunt, direct, brutally honest, sarcastic and down right aggravating at some times, but subtle is something I do not do well.
Some people can hint at something and people will correct the problem, but that does not work for me. I say things as I see them, and sometimes people do not like the way I word things. I have had to be assertive all my life if I felt I was right, and the fact of the matter is 80% of the time I am right. It is the other 20% when I am wrong and I think I am right that makes people mad.
My Aunt Gin and I once had words because she did not like how I said something to her. She said I had an authoritative tone in my voice and that I should not speak like that. The irony of the situation is I learned that manner of speech from her. Everything she ever said she said like she knew she was right and mom said I was just like her. lol So if anyone is looking for subtly from me they are looking the wrong place.