How to respond to boss

[Appleday11]

I was working last week. I did a task but I forgot to tick it off on our shared list. I remembered about it the next evening and I ticked it off then. In the morning another of my colleague works. She told my boss that this list wasn't ticked.

I got an email from boss today, not asking what happened. It had a very accusing of "this wasnt done, you need to justify yourself"
She didnt just sent it to me
She sent this email to five people including the colleague who said it to her. This other colleauge does not work in my team. She just uses the same office.

My boss has a history of being negative , critical and blowing things up to make the person worry. We could do one hundred things well, and she will try to find one thing that hasnt been done to her standards. Im looking through the emails she has sent to my team this week. All emails have been negative. Shes also inconsistent. One person can do something a certain way and she will say it was fine. Antoher person will do it the same way and she will say it was wrong

I should have done it, but I feel like we all forget to do things occasionally right. This is the first time that I've forgotten to do it in a year. Im also annoyed at my colleague (best friends with boss) who said i forgot to do it to my boss. I've seen other people forget to do things in my workplace. If i see it, i just remind them to do it. I don't go and tel my boss "ann didnt do this:

Im annoyed at myself for forgetting to do it, as i know what my boss can be like, she is not flexible over small things in any way,and now after ive received her email, ive been feeling really bad all day.

I feel like if I reply "it was an admin error on my part. I remembered and filled it in the nest day". Which sounds like a fairly normal response, she will just get really angry.

I feel like writing "everyone in this place has forgotten to do things at some stage or another". But I know it will just sound petty.

Im also upset that she sent the email in a group email to five different people, one person has nothing to do with our team at all, pointing out that I forgot to do something. Why didnt she just email.me.and ask me privately

Im not sure how to respond. Any ideas

can you go temping in order to get a reference?
she sounds awful.
on a power trip.
it is her that is in the wrong.

you could say it was an admin error due to pressure of work or words like that. and Apologise.

just move on op, and hope you can put it behind you

or a very short response,
With apologies this was an admin error which I did rectify.

Honestly @Appleday11, I’d quit. Move on. And tell her she’s a cunt as you go.

Just reply with the facts and leave it at that.
I do think looking for another job would be best if she makes you feel like this on a regular basis.
I can’t believe there’s so many incompetent managers out there. We have them in my workplace but thankfully my own manager is spot on.

Reply to all.
So sorry I forgot to tick this as done, but remembered the next day.
And then forget about it.

Reply, short and factual.

Task was completed on X date
Box was ticked on Y date.

Nothing more. I wouldn't apologise (you did nothing wrong to apologise for.) I wouldn't say 'I forgot' either. It implies wrongdoing. Again, you've done nothing wrong.

She sounds like a bitch, does everyone suck up to her? She sounds like that's what she expects from you.

That's what I'd do. It seems like a fairly small oversight, and inconsequential, so it should be treated as such. However I'd also be tempted to add "I didn't email everyone to let them know this when I ticked it as didn't want to put any unnecessary burden on everyone's inbox load, but could you clarify if we SHOULD be informing the rest of the team about any such oversight in future?"

Reading the other points you’ve made, as well as this email, I’d be taking a whole case to HR and telling them how this impacts your mental health. It all sounds ridiculous and she’s an unreasonable control freak.

She sounds like a dickhead micromanager. Agree with the poster who suggested dealing with it in the way that makes it the start of a paper trail.

Right, take a breath lovely, this is frustrating but fixable. Keep your reply short, professional and cc everyone she did: "Thanks for flagging. The task was completed on [date], I ticked it off the following evening when I realised I'd missed it. Apologies for any confusion." Done. No excuses, no emotion, no ammo for her. Her sending it to five people was poor form and she knows it, but rising above it protects you.