The saying goes, “Behind every great man is a great woman.”Undoubtedly true our female readers will agree and most of the menwhen they receive the head-cocked, one eyebrow arched, steely-eyedglare from their female colleagues, mothers, sisters or significantothers. You know the one.

Studies and experience have irrefutably demonstrated women'ssuperiority. Don't believe me? Ask my husband, John. Or DonaldShoultz, our managing editor. Or Marc Rapport, our online editor.Or…you get the picture. Smart male leaders make sure their teamsare diverse and part of that mix is women. No one deserves specialtreatment, but all things being equal, choose the professional andlife experience your team is lacking. Dilute the testosterone.

With Credit Union Times' Women to Watch program, we wantedto highlight and honor the women who throw themselves intosupporting and leading credit unions. Our regular program isrestricted to credit union employees, but for our Focus Report onpages 17-21 of this issue, we decided to also celebrate womenworking in organizations supporting the credit union community.

The most recent data show federal credit union CEOs lean towardthe female of the species (54% according to the 2012NAFCU-Burns-Fazzi, Brock survey of federal credit unions), and paststudies show that's in line with the entire industry. However, thatratio dwindles significantly when you look at the higher asset-sizecredit unions to just 17% women over $750 million according to theNAFCU data. As demographics and history progress, more femaleexecutives are growing into these roles, and we wanted to highlight them invarious states of their career paths. Particularly when, as you'llsee on page 21, 66% of women 18-34 rate career high on their listof priorities compared to 59% of men.

On the flip side, the women featured in this issue of CreditUnion Times or at CUTimes.com/W2W or CUTimes.com/W2WCUSupportersare professionals to be admired and respected for a whole slew ofreasons. The business world is short on female mentors, but one ofthese fantastic females might be right for you, male or female.Just look at their philosophies:

• Be honest.
• Be flexible.
• Be the person you look up to.
• Seek opportunities.
• Be curious and creative.
• Make a difference.
• Do what's right.

Demonstrating leadership isn't rocket science and it's not awomen or men's issue. These are human issues.

Not all women or men want to be in the corner office. Someprefer to be the best they can be at whatever their area ofinterest is. That's great. It takes everyone working together—menand women, CFOs, IT and marketing directors, volunteers andprofessionals—and respecting and using everyone to their strengthswhile acknowledging our own weaknesses to operate a successfulorganization.

Willingness to cooperate and collaborate and getting others towork together harmoniously is a great strength of women in generaland perhaps why they've been more successful in the credit unioncommunity than other industries.

As Gen X and Y come into positions of authority, there will be asimultaneous shift in what it means to have it all. It's not justwomen who want to keep business hours and travel under control. Menare becoming increasingly concerned about it, too. Men like myhusband who chose to work part time and be a stay-at-home dad afterhis mother played chauffeur and den mother while his father worked100-hour weeks.

The next generation of leaders, hopefully many more of who willbe women, will change that. We're just as dedicated to our jobs,but the 1980s bred the original latch key kids and many don't wantthat for our own children. Work-life balance talk is becomingcliché but it will become increasingly important to the way allbusinesses run under the next generation's ethos.

Maybe one day the saying will evolve to behind every great womanis a great man –thanks to the Johns, Dons and Marcs of theworld.