Why I Emphasize Strong Communication in My Syllabi

I'm putting the final touches on my Fall '19 syllabi. (Click here to see one of them.) Here are a few seemingly odd sentences in the communications section:

Are you curious about why a professor of information systems emphasizes clear communication so much? Check out the first job listing that Jeff Bezos posted for Amazon 25 years ago.

And here's the screen grab from a man who has made his mark in the universe:

Yeah, some programming languages have gained traction since 1994. You won't find any mention of Python or JavaScript in Bezos' listing. Note, however, the emphasis on strong communication skills, even and especially for techies.

Simon Says

Many things have changed since Bezos wrote that job description. The need for clear and effective business communication, however, is certainly not one of them.