When was the last time you talked with a stranger? It’s no secret that our attention is increasingly focused on phones and computer screens instead of on the world around us. Amid so many technological ways to communicate with others, business executive Susan Bird believes the skill to carry on face-to-face conversation is more valuable than ever. She speaks up about the joys of verbal exchange as well as its power to shift perspectives, jumpstart ideas and create innovative solutions to problems from the mundane to the transformative. Founder and CEO of Wf360, a consultancy that develops strategic storytelling for businesses that want to enlarge their brand footprint, Susan Bird is now producing a podcast series about the new conversations taking shape between China and the West. The TED Residency program is an incubator for breakthrough ideas. It is free and open to all via a semi-annual competitive application. Those chosen as TED Residents spend four months at TED headquarters in New York City, working on their idea. Selection criteria include the strength of their idea, their character, and their ability to bring a fresh perspective and positive contribution to the diverse TED community.