This works great until you get an engineer who pushes back constantly claiming it’s a time trade off or that this code is correct and you just don’t understand it. Sometimes humor doesn’t cut it.
I have worked with a few such "strong personalities" and while I agree they can be slow on receiving criticism, I disagree that one should therefore resign to more forceful communication.
There are many alternative avenues in a professional setting when presented with an opportunity to argue, even if you're being blocked by a superior.
The crucial thing to remember is you cannot ensure your "social workaround" will work, but you can always ensure you act professionally. Whether that impacts the sprint is a matter of circumstance, but mild, cheery professionalism always improves the workplace culture.
