OP I think you may be overthinking this. Just put yourself in the other pilots position. What tone of conversation would you like to have with the other bloke before you go flying? Not sure you'd want a message about being inferior rammed down your throat. Briefings are badly named - they are not speeches delivered to the meek. Discuss the task for the day, work problems out together, ask what you've missed, avoid closed questions that shut the other bloke down, listen more than you talk.
Takes a long time to get better, and it's rarely done perfectly..