Bottom line - Those that can write well, excel in business. 

Growing up, I hated English in school and did not see much value in it.  Instead, I was more focused on science and thought that would be more important in my career.  I have seen time and time again, however, where a talented scientist or other expert did not move up in a company because they could not communicate well, either verbally or with their writing.  I became acutely aware of my ignorance early on, when I was asked to type up minutes from a project meeting.  One of the experienced women on the team sent my document back to me completely covered in red pen.  It was a humbling experience, but I had the good sense to learn from it, and it began to show me the importance of writing clearly, concisely, and accurately. 

Since then, I have taken courses in business writing (Jonathan Clark in Scottsdale has some good CDs on the subject: www.businesswritingsolutions.com) and read a number of books ("Elements of Style" is a great book and a must-read for anyone in business).  I still have a lot to learn, but my career has immensely benefited from my improvement in writing*.  I have found it sets you apart in business, gives you power to communicate effectively with everyone around you, and reveals you as an authority in any situation.  How have you found writing to be key in your business?  What have you done throughout your career and even in the last month to improve your writing?

*p.s. Feel free to trash my use of grammar or suggest ways to improve in the comments section below.