Female leaders underrate how their bosses and colleagues perceive their performance, find US researchers (R. E. Sturm et al. J. Org. Behav. 35, 657–677; 2014). In a two-part report examining responses from 270 women across sectors including health services and banking, the authors find that lack of self-confidence, perception of gender roles and a lack of direct feedback from superiors contributed to women's self-underrating. Female managers also rate their own performances lower than do male leaders, the team found. Women in leadership positions must become aware of any negative self-biases, says co-author Leanne Atwater, a management researcher at the University of Houston in Texas. “If you're unsure of your boss's feelings about your work, get feedback and don't make assumptions,” she says.