The credit union industry leads the pack when it comes to women serving in leadership roles – according to CUNA, 57% of credit union CEOs are women. That is a pretty amazing number and one that spells 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 vice president. Now, I serve as the senior vice president of operations for the $742 million Amplify Credit Union in Austin, Texas, along with a management team containing a balance of talented women and men. Along the way I have developed a few business beliefs and rules that have yielded great results for me. If you're looking for your next career move or aspiring to a leadership role within a credit union, I urge you to soak in advice from as many sources as possible, examine the women who are excelling around you, and take notice of how they are leading teams, taking on new projects and using their unique talents to find solutions for their credit unions.

Evoke Confidence

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

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

Take Charge of Your Career

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

Step Up to the Plate

Ask for additional responsibility, to lead projects, for that next promotion or to mentor a new team member. You can also look for growth opportunities outside of your organization through conferences, partnerships or continued education. Challenging yourself every day and finding your passion will lead to a more robust and exciting career.

Embrace Ambition

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

Find Your Balance

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

As a final message to women who aspire to leadership positions in business, remember that women and men are different in their management 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 union needs to attract the right talent or successfully implement a new program.

A 2014 Pew Research Center Survey on Women and Leadership illustrates that women are viewed as excelling in compromise, being honest and ethical, providing fair pay and benefits, and mentoring employees. Embrace these differences and bring your own strengths to the table.

Nancy Ballman is senior vice president of operations for Amplify Credit Union. She can be reached at 512-834-6510 or nhballman@goamplify.com.

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Seizing Your Career: Advice for Aspiring Female Leaders

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