Expect Italian feedback to carry real emotion, and do not mistake this for loss of control or unprofessionalism. When an Italian colleague praises your work with genuine warmth and enthusiasm, they are communicating that they care about what you have accomplished. When they express frustration or disappointment, they are showing that the outcome matters to them. Emotional flatness in evaluative contexts is not read as objectivity—it reads as indifference, which is worse than criticism.
When delivering your own feedback, allow some genuine feeling to come through. You do not need to perform emotion, but suppressing it entirely will make your feedback feel cold and disengaged. Italian professional culture reads emotional authenticity as a sign of sincerity and investment. The emotion is part of the message.
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