E-mail is not a perfect form of communication, but, for that matter, neither is a boss who lectures you.
For communication to be truly effective, it is important for the sender to do more than send a message. Although the message is an obviously important part of the communication process, it is also important for the sender to have some sensitivity to the way in which a message is received. In face-to-face communications, it is generally easy to see and hear the receiver's reaction, although your manager demonstrated that this is not always the case.
In e-mail, a letter instantly arrives and its meaning, tone, and intent are greatly influenced by the mind set, mood, and expectations of the receiver. Any phrase can be easily misinterpreted. For example, think about the different ways that the following e-mail sentence can be read: "This needs to be done by Friday." Granted the use of capitals can signify emphasis in e-mail, but is that a friendly emphasis or is it yelling?
E-mail is a terrific means of communication, but if people have questions about the message, intonation, or intent, they need to be advised to either meet with the sender (who is often down the hall), or at the very least pick up the phone. As for your lecturing manager, he needs to pick up a few management classes.
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