UNFOLLOW

About the Book

UNFOLLOW: Execution Is Cheap, Vision, Judgment, and the Courage to Unfollow Are Priceless by M.J. Sear examines how artificial intelligence and rapid technological change are transforming the meaning of work, skills, leadership, and career success. The book challenges the traditional idea that following established paths, executing instructions, and waiting for the next opportunity are reliable strategies in an AI-native economy.

At the heart of UNFOLLOW is the argument that as the cost of routine execution continues to fall, uniquely human capabilities such as vision, judgment, initiative, creativity, and leadership become increasingly important. Drawing on experience in global strategy, national policy, and digital transformation, M.J. Sear presents a practical framework for people seeking greater agency in a rapidly changing professional world.

The book introduces several principles for navigating this shift. It explores how individuals can escape the compliance trap by moving from simply executing other people’s ideas toward developing and originating their own. It also presents a 3-Tier Skill Stack combining domain expertise, AI amplification, and catalytic leadership to help readers develop distinctive capabilities.

Another key theme is permissionless leverage—the idea of creating meaningful proof of work, identifying systemic friction, and demonstrating real-world value without waiting for traditional permission or recognition. The book also examines how individuals can become catalysts for reform within established organizations while navigating bureaucracy and institutional resistance.

Written particularly for young professionals, students, entrepreneurs, emerging leaders, and ambitious knowledge workers, UNFOLLOW offers a perspective on career development, AI and work, leadership, personal agency, innovation, and the future of employment.

For readers interested in artificial intelligence, career strategy, leadership, digital transformation, entrepreneurship, personal growth, and the changing world of work, UNFOLLOW provides a practical framework for questioning conventional career assumptions, developing machine-augmented capabilities, and building a more self-directed professional path.

About the Author

M.J. Sear is a digital-era futurist, author, strategist, advisor, and public sector leader whose work focuses on the changing relationship between technology, individuals, organizations, and society. With more than three decades of global leadership experience, he brings a broad understanding of digital transformation and institutional change to his writing and professional work.

A former UK civil servant and EY senior partner, M.J. Sear has worked across leadership and strategic environments where technology, organizational development, and public-sector transformation intersect. His professional experience informs his perspective on how institutions can respond to the opportunities and challenges created by rapid technological change.

As a futurist and digital strategist, Sear writes about individual agency, digital strategy, institutional transformation, and the evolving role of technology in modern society. His work reflects an interest in understanding not only how digital technologies change systems, but also how individuals and institutions can respond to those changes with greater awareness and purpose.

His experience as an advisor and public sector leader provides a practical foundation for exploring complex questions surrounding technological transformation. This combination of strategic leadership, public-sector experience, and futurist thinking is reflected in his approach to contemporary issues such as Artificial Intelligence, digital government, organizational transformation, and the future of institutions.

Through his writing, M.J. Sear contributes to conversations about how organizations and individuals can navigate an increasingly digital world while maintaining a clear understanding of agency, responsibility, and institutional purpose. His perspective brings together long-term thinking with practical experience gained through decades of leadership in public and professional environments.

M.J. Sear is the author of AI Native Government: Are We Ready to Govern in the Age of Artificial Intelligence?, a work examining the need for governments to rethink traditional approaches to digital transformation and prepare for an increasingly AI-driven future.