The credit union industry leads the pack when it comes to womenserving in leadership roles – according to CUNA, 57% of creditunion CEOs are women. That is a pretty amazing number and one thatspells opportunity for women and the credit unions they serve.

I have spent 25 interesting years in credit union management:First as a manager, then as a vice president and a senior vicepresident. Now, I serve as the senior vice president of operationsfor the $742 million Amplify Credit Union in Austin, Texas, alongwith a management team containing a balance of talented women andmen. Along the way I have developed a few business beliefs andrules that have yielded great results for me. If you're looking foryour next career move or aspiring to a leadership role within acredit union, I urge you to soak in advice from as many sources aspossible, examine the women who are excelling around you, and takenotice of how they are leading teams, taking on new projects andusing their unique talents to find solutions for their creditunions.

Evoke Confidence

One of the most important attributes for a business leader,especially a female business leader, is confidence. If you do nothave confidence in yourself, others will not have confidence in youeither.

Far too often, we second guess our good ideas and place them onthe back burner, assuming someone else will take the reins. Whilepolite, this mentality will get us nowhere and will lead tofrustration in the long term. Whether speaking up in a meeting withinsights based on data and analysis, or holding a simple check-inmeeting with your boss, it is critical to evoke confidence whencommunicating your recommendations and goals.

Take Charge of Your Career

You are in charge of your own career. Not your boss, not yourmentor, not the company you work for. Show your initiative bylearning and expanding your perspective. When opportunity knocks,make sure you have already prepared for the next phase of yourcareer. Too often women prefer to be invited. Instead, they shouldproactively offer insights and solutions that bring value to theirteams.

Step Up to the Plate

Ask for additional responsibility, to lead projects, for thatnext promotion or to mentor a new team member. You can also lookfor growth opportunities outside of your organization throughconferences, partnerships or continued education. Challengingyourself every day and finding your passion will lead to a morerobust and exciting career.

Embrace Ambition

Be ambitious – but exercise the right type of ambition. Ambitionto further your own career is very different from having a burningambition to move your organization toward excellence and achieveglobal organizational goals. If you achieve success for yourorganization, then personal success will follow. Ambition towardorganizational goals also shows that you put your team first, whichis a clear sign of a leader.

Find Your Balance

Don't feel you must sacrifice family for business. Credit unionsare family friendly and most seek to provide an environment thatcreates balance. If you are dedicated and responsible in fulfillingyour family responsibilities, then you are very likely to bededicated and responsible at work too. Your boss knows that.

As a final message to women who aspire to leadership positionsin business, remember that women and men are different in theirmanagement styles and employee perception and that is a good thing.Organizations and team members need a balance of management styles,and your unique skills might be exactly what your credit unionneeds to attract the right talent or successfully implement a newprogram.

A 2014 Pew Research Center Survey on Women and Leadershipillustrates that women are viewed as excelling in compromise, beinghonest and ethical, providing fair pay and benefits, and mentoringemployees. Embrace these differences and bring your own strengthsto the table.

Nancy Ballman is senior vice president of operations forAmplify Credit Union. She can be reached at 512-834-6510or [email protected].