I dont believe that is a significant shift.
From Elder PIMO friends, I am hearing the NUMBERS are more important than ever. That publisher who are not doing "all they can" i.e. pioneering, aux-pio... are made to feel that they are not wholehearted.
Also, the phrase I am told is being heard over and over is "close ranks". There is if anything a hyper-fear of the world and apostates greater than any time.
Also with the type-antitype BS, that was covered at an assembly and in a WT a few years back, and literally in the next month or 2 there was a WT article that was back to the same old BS.
Encouraging publishers to not get into doctrine and stuff I think is more about making Service easier and easier to keep the numbers up, and to avoid getting into conversations that question the WT (since there is lots of negative media now). The carts facilitate the same thing.
I am not DFed nor does anyone have any reason to think I have done anything wrong, but I am still shunned in public by some people who ironically I had helped as an elder. This is part of the SCARE tactics that are being used.
There is no way in hell that candidates for MS or Elders are not scrutinized when it comes to Field Service time if that's what you mean. The thought of a brother who gets 5 hrs a month getting to be appointed is not realistic.
They NEED brothers who are drinking the Kool-Aid by the barrel full.
They will not put brothers in charge that are more about people than OBEYING the GB.
There is NO softening from the GB in any way or making it a more kind organization. No idea what you think this "family" branding is. I think you are barking up the wrong tree.