I think there are two different issues. On one hand, if you haven't received much blunt criticism in your life, you might not notice when your own criticism comes across as blunt. On the other hand, if you're used to an environment where blunt criticism is no big deal, and then move to an environment where everyone walks on eggshells, it can be hard to adjust. But if people gave and received more criticism in general, both of these issues would go away, so that's what I would prefer.