4. Innovation Infrastructure. Here’s a test: Does your bank have a chief innovation officer? If your answer was “yes,” answer this question: Does your bank’s chief innovation officer have any material effect on earnings and/or operations? It is highly likely that your answer to that is “no” (and if it isn’t, it is highly likely that you are kidding yourself). The plain truth is that the wide majority of banks do not have the infrastructure and protocols in place to pursue an innovation strategy, which should include internal and external innovation through startup partnership, investment and co-development. There are some exceptions to this rule (US Bank comes to mind), however, for most banks 2014 will again be a building year for innovation infrastructure. We just hope 2015, 2016 and 2017 won’t be building years, too.