Typically, my open letters are more ambiguous. A little easier for people to relate to and relatively personal. However, this one is even more personal. So thanks, Odyssey. I tip my pen to you.

Dear Odyssey CEO,

It's been a few weeks since you blind sided my team with the news that our ME would no longer be with us. And things just aren't the same. A year ago, I was brought onto my team as a social media director and content creator. And I couldn't have been more excited. How could I not be excited? I was given this amazing platform to create content for and people were actually reading my work and responding to it.

But you are not the one I am sincerely thanking. Really, my managing editor is to thank for everything that has become of my and my team's writing. Our ME who you so unprofessionally made us aware "wouldn't be with us anymore" spent hours going over what we could do to get more views, more shares, set up video calls with us, and so much more than his job description probably entailed. And you just took him away, without warning.

Two weeks ago, we had an entire team of people creating content enthusiastically. We had an ME who encouraged us to get our drafts finished and share, share, share! We were doing great. Until we received an email saying that our ME "will unfortunately not be with us any longer." Two "replacements" (if you can even call them that) later and we still don't have anyone permanently assigned to our community, and now we all have to suffer. All because of your inconsistency and seemingly hasty decision to fire 1/3 of your staff. So thank you.

Thank you for taking away my team's enthusiasm, making it harder to produce a large amount of content, and taking away my excitement. Thank you for taking away the ME who would contact us even when he was on vacation. Thank you for taking away weekly updates, video chats, and a genuinely great person. Never have I ever questioned being a part of this team until now. Because after all, who wants to write for a company who clearly doesn't value their employees?

Thank you for taking away the heart and soul of my team. Our ME was a crucial member of our team, and now we are left with little to no attention from HQ because you have people assigned to 30 communities at one time.

Tell me what the point of this was. What is the good in taking a community that is doing well and taking away their most valuable player? Now what? Unanswered emails and too many uncertainties don't facilitate a creative environment. So thanks Odyssey.

Here's to you.

Sincerely,

A Concerned Contributing Editor