An early start, group meetings, one-on-one meetings, lunch in front of a computer screen, a ribbon-cutting for a new branch, it's all in a day's work for LeeAnne Linderman, the executive vice president of retail banking for Zions Bancorp and one of our Women to Watch. But the indefatigable Linderman still makes time for the United Way, the American Heart Association and her husband. "A Day in the Life" was our theme for the Most Powerful Women in Banking program this year.

When KeyBank made history by appointing a woman as chairman and CEO, the goal it had set for itself was not to break the glass ceiling, but only to find the best person for the job, says Beth Mooney in her speech at the Most Powerful Women in Banking and Finance celebration. But this historic choice is a testament to how Key's diverse board of directors — its diversity ratio is more than 50% — helps ensure a truly inclusive culture throughout the organization. (For more on how the women in our rankings are pursuing diversity in the boardroom, click here.)

If you want to have a big impact within your bank and across the banking industry, you need to get familiar with different parts of the business, have a wide variety of skills, and develop a network of people who like you. So even a lateral move can be helpful, says Wells Fargo's Pat Callahan. She offered this career advice as part of a speech she gave when accepting a Lifetime Achievement Award. (See Callahan's full speech here.)