This is great communication advice. Your original state sounds a lot like the "asker" vs. "guesser" cultural problem [1]. I've found putting a label on those two outlooks to be very helpful.
I'd add "teller" to that list, distinct from "asker". I certainly have friends and family who will tell me in no uncertain terms that we're joining them for a meal, or even that they are joining us for our holiday, etc. Brazen barely describes it. They're rare, fortunately, but they exist.