Mood of my message?

Question

My boss wrote a mail message asking my what I did on slow days.
I replied with a list of self directing projects I was working on, mentioned that I didn't place these in passdown because I didn't think it was pertinent to others. I stated that if he wanted me to send a more detailed passdown I would do this for him, but that I would think he trusted me to keep myself occupied.

He responded back with a reply message asking me why the attitude.
Now I didn't think I had an attitude when I wrote the message, but just stated the facts.

So my question is how can he read my attitude in some words?
Isn't it that when your reading a mail message from someone, it is your opinion of what your reading? How can anyone assume they know my mood when I wrote something, perhaps they are reading into it what their mood is?
Some one want to give me their opinion?

Answer 1

I AGREE.HE MIGHT BE IN A BAD MOOD AND READING IT LIKE THAT. THAT IS WHY WE EMAIL YOU THAT TO BEGING WITH. OR HE THINKS OF YOU AS A PERSON WITH AN ATTITUDE SO HE WOULD READ IT AS HE HEARS YOU. I WOULD GO TO HIM AND JUST TELL HIM SORRY I DID NOT MEAN FOR IT TO SOUND AS IF I HAD AN ATTITUDE. BUT HERE IS WHAT I AM WORKING ON.

Answer 2

The only part of what you stated that could've indicated an attitude on your part, is where you state, "...but that I would think he trusted me to keep myself occupied." Maybe if you had responded something like this: By giving him the list of the projects you have been working on. Then instead of stating to him why you weren't putting this information in the pass down, but by asking him if he felt it would be best if you included this information in the passdown, and that you would be happy to do so, and then thanking him for bringing it to your attention...Maybe this would've been a way of handling the situation without him getting that impression..
However, you don't really indicate much about his motives for asking you this in the first place... Is it possible that he was trying to find out how busy you are because he had a special project of some kind and was considering you to be the one who can handle it for him???
Well, that is just my opinion and how I probably would've handled the situation myself. Good luck to you...

Answer 3

Posters didn't get to see the email so we really don't know. Yes, people tend to blow things out of proportion and read in between the lines. I don't think there is any excuse if that is what happened but again I didn't see the email. Was he concerned with your attitude before he sent the first email and maybe didn't say? Only you know.

Answer 4

Sometimes it isn't what you say, but how you say it. If you had omitted the part about him trusting you to keep yourself occupied, I bet he wouldn't have seen the attitude. You should have just said you would be happy to send him a more detailed passdown, if he wanted. Period.... Can't change it now, don't worry about it!!!

Answer 5

Well it happens sometimes...the way u write show ur attitude..
i mean wen ur angry u tend to write with lots of frustration which u probably dnt realise but when someone else read the msg he can get the idea that u were ngry....

The words that u write and the way u write it with different kind of expression shows u r mood...

Ur mood are affected by ur emotion... and ur emotion affect evrything in u...including the way u write things

Answer 6

Maybe the statements that you "didn't think it was pertinent to others" and "would think he trusted you to keep yourself occupied"
made him feel that you had an attitude.
It certainly gives me the impression of an 'attitude'.

Answer 7

Hmm...Reading someones words insted of hearing ones is very tricky...Your boss probably got you wrong cause he maybe uses some words you did when he is in that kind of mood so hee though you would do similar,although he had no idea how wrong he is...Happens to me too,but i almost never mistake when i guess,its cause i mostly guess about my boyfriends mood when he is writing,for im with him quite long i learned how to recognize that...No i assume yoiur boss doesnt know you that well,so he probably looked on himself and brought that decision...And mood of his affect that a lot...When you are angry you mostly feel affened by things that are friendly completly,for you tend to turn things into your mood too.But there are some typical things for exampe "Hi love!How are you?" and "Hi.How are you?" same thing,lots of difference,you can feel it too...

Hope it helped

Answer 8

tone can be conveyed in electronic communication just as in face to face. Often electronic communication creates conflict when frustration is perceived as threatening.

Use non-threatening words in electronic communication whether it be email or IM, stick to facts..

I've written scathing emails to vendors and got ripped for it by my director. Now I stick to simple questions and not try to send scathing critiques even though they often deserve it.

Answer 9

I think in the future it'd be better to answer an email like that with a face to face talk. Sometimes it's easy to misread "attitude" where it wasn't intended in emails.

Answer 10

it is because the boss is the boss and he wants your input without you being secretive