South Africa, Aug. 1 -- What would an online meeting be without the unofficial introduction, "can you hear me"? In a hyper connected world with screen share, camera-on, comments and emojis, people still want to know if you can hear them, are you listening?

I love the unassuming nature of sound. The way it just slips in, uninvited, without pretence or the need to command all of your attention. The ability to add tone, texture and meaning without saying a word and the ability to move without asking for action.

The converse is also true. Sound can also be intentional, we can turn on the power of audio to evoke emotion, a call to action or a request to connect. Think of a military marching band, a siren or the ping of a messaging app. Audio...