https://cacm.acm.org/opinion/life-lessons-from-the-first-half-century-of-my-career/#B6
Seek out honest feedback; it might be right. Getting honest feedback is critical to success. You don’t want the first comments on your ideas to come from the decision makers. Remember that criticism of a project or idea is separate from criticism of you as a person. Offering suggestions is an endorsement that reviewers think your ideas are sufficiently interesting to be worthwhile of their time.
Listen hard to the feedback and never push back. At project retreats, the most important session is when we get reactions from outsiders, and we enforce the rule that no one argues with feedback.15
For papers, I send drafts to many people for feedback as early as possible. (I sent this article to a dozen.) I especially recruit reviewers who might not be fans, as they’ll give unvarnished comments.