"That's nothing," he'll say after Tiger stripes a drive 380 yards down the middle while protecting a six-stroke lead at the Masters. "Put that titanium rocket launcher in Arnold Palmer's hands 45 years ago, and he'd never have lost a tournament!"

Since my father-in-law hasn't lost an argument since 1953, I'm always quick to agree that advancements in technology have certainly helped "raise the bar" on performance in many sports. But every athlete has access to golf balls that fly farther or space-age tennis rackets. As a result, we agreed that today's champions excel by distinguishing themselves the same way they always have - through talent and hard work.

The idea that champions don't rely on technology alone is something we need to keep in mind in the hospitality industry. With so much business being conducted "online" today, you may be tempted to let technology do all the heavy lifting for your hotel. After all, you probably get plenty of transient reservations via brand websites or TPAs, and perhaps your sales staff can barely keep up with all of the electronic RFPs you receive.

Certainly, you and your sales team have had to change the way you work to accommodate the increased role ...