Some 93% of communication is in body language and tone. So with the written word as in this text, emails are words on a screen, or on paper if printed.

With the written word, there are none of the other hints at meaning which we receive in verbal communication to give the email congruence. E.g. there is no tone, pitch, warmth, no facial expression or body language. So, it is amazingly easy to mis-communicate using email.

Whilst email is designed to make our working lives easier, it totally messes things up if used inappropriately.

Email is entirely appropriate for normal simple communication, to quickly transfer small documents and information to a number of people and to confirm appointments and meetings. It is also useful to confirm conversation content.

But - where there could be any doubt as to the meaning or tone of the email, then it is inappropriate and - don