The ability to write clearly is perhaps the most important skill one can have in an open source environment. In the long run it matters more than programming talent. A great programmer with lousy communications skills can get only one thing done at a time, and even then may have trouble convincing others to pay attention. But a lousy programmer with good communications skills can coordinate and persuade many people to do many different things, and thereby have a significant effect on a project’s direction and momentum.
— Karl Fogel, Producing Open Source Software
This rings true. The best and the worst projects I have worked on have centered around the quality of communication. The ability of individuals to work on a goal effectively together depends on clear and open channels of communication. Good quote.