There is no shortage of advice for professional women on how to succeed and lead in the workplace. Women are constantly told to lean in, take charge and be confident, and that gender equality will follow.

But what if the bias against a female boss is so deeply ingrained in some of her male charges, that they find her leadership role threatening and begin advocating for their own self-interest more aggressively?

A study published Thursday in Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin suggests that happens more than we might like to admit and shows exactly how narrow a tightrope a woman must walk in order to gain the trust and respect of her male employees. READ MORE: New study confirms every female boss’ fear that she just can’t win | Mashable