I'm also a programmer, and I have seen several developers get passed over for leadership positions because of their poor written and verbal communication skills. I also participated in the recruiting process for several years at my last company, and on numerous occassions applicants were rejected outright because I couldn't understand them during the phone screening. The on-site tech screening would also feature questions that required the candidate to provide a written explanation. I would also personally reject any applicant who submitted a cv or cover letter with typos, misspellings, or grammatical errors. I'm currently looking for a new job, and strong written and verbal communication skills is a very common requirement for senior level roles.