The Most Powerful Women in Banking

"One of the most important responsibilities of a leader [is] motivating people and developing the future leaders of the organization," Citi's Julie Monaco said. "When you take the time to communicate these messages to your team you are creating a culture that is distinguished by a commitment to excellence."

Courage is key for Wells Fargo's Diane Schumaker-Krieg. Her 37 years in financial services is practically a road map on how to embody it.

Noticing that clients were placing more emphasis on planning for specific goals than on simple returns and performance benchmarks, JPM's Kelly Coffey oversaw the development of a new wealth management platform to help project wealth, monitor and adjust their portfolios, and deploy surplus assets.

Attacking a problem — whether it's structuring an acquisition or merger for a Citigroup client or mastering the crescendo of a complicated piece — is about approaching it with creativity for Elinor Hoover.

"As women, we need to remind ourselves to have an 'opt-in' attitude," said Abigail Johnson, President and CEO of Fidelity Investments. "Career downturns happen to everyone and we must remember to treat them as opportunities to change how we work or try something new. That is what shows our true mettle."