Karin Fourie

Helping Tech Professionals Build Better Boss Relationships for Real Career Growth.

Founder & Career Accelerator

International LEAP Network

LEAP is a private exclusive network for members of the #LeapAcademy Program: executive leaders, entrepreneurs, and high achievers from around the world who inspire and drive growth and impact on themselves, their work and their communities.

Executive Member

PetSmart

In my leadership role at PetSmart, I have spearheaded the transformation of software delivery processes across multiple product lines, embedding a culture of excellence in DevOps, Platform Engineering, and SRE practices. My focus on strategic integration and enhancement of engineering functions has driven substantial improvements in operational performance and product quality.

Key Achievements:

** Leadership and Innovation in DevOps: Led a dynamic team of software, platform, and DevOps engineers, overseeing the comprehensive lifecycle of Pet Services Products and Quality Engineering. Championed the integration of contemporary Agile, DevOps, and SRE methodologies to streamline and enhance engineering efforts.

** Dramatic Improvement in Deployment Metrics: Engineered a 300% increase in release velocity, coupled with a significant 70% reduction in lead time to market, by automating code deployment and embedding continuous testing within the delivery pipeline.

** Enhanced System Reliability and Incident Management: Successfully reduced the engineering support backlog by 65% and the defect backlog by 35%, achieving a 45% decrease in change fail rate and a 50% reduction in production incidents year-over-year. Implemented an enhanced incident response and postmortem process that not only addressed immediate concerns but also mitigated future risks by identifying and rectifying root causes.

** Advanced Observability and Reduced Response Times: Deployed cutting-edge observability tools and alerting mechanisms, which led to a 35% reduction in undetected issues and a 45% improvement in Mean Time To Resolution (MTTR) for critical incidents, thereby ensuring higher uptime and reliability.

Through strategic leadership and technical expertise, I have enabled my teams to deliver high-quality software solutions rapidly, consistently, and reliably, ensuring alignment with organizational objectives and fostering a resilient technological infrastructure.

Senior Manager of Engineering - Platform, DevOps & Integration 

American Express

At American Express, I led the strategic overhaul of the DevOps strategy for our Big Data Platform, significantly advancing our software delivery capabilities and operational efficiency.

Key Achievements:

** Strategic Leadership and CI/CD Implementation: Spearheaded the conceptualization and execution of advanced CI/CD pipelines, reducing manual deployment hours by over 400 per use case. This initiative was crucial in streamlining deployment processes and enhancing operational agility.

**  Testing and Quality Improvements: Drove a 65% increase in testing coverage along with a 35% reduction in defects, underscoring my focus on software quality and reliability.

** Innovative Software Upgrade Tool: Designed a pioneering enterprise utility that autonomously assessed impacts from software upgrades, halving the Big Data Upgrade timeframe and eliminating more than 10,000 hours of manual labor. This innovation not only optimized upgrade processes but also significantly reduced downtime and resource allocation.

** Development of DevOps Metrics: Established essential DevOps metrics across organizational and team levels, setting a foundation for ongoing performance benchmarking and continuous improvement. This strategic metric development enabled more informed decision-making and helped align team efforts with broader business objectives.

**  Community Engagement and Thought Leadership: Curated a high-profile DevOps event featuring Gene Kim, highlighting our commitment to industry leadership and continuous learning within the tech community.

**  Patent Achievement: Demonstrated a commitment to technological innovation by securing a patent (US-11580089-B2), a testament to our breakthroughs in the field.

Director of Engineering: Platform/DevOps Engineering & Operational Excellence

Empowering our Data consumers through creating a consistent, seamless, self-service and frictionless customer experience for Big Data Use cases.  Enabling Machine Learning for Big Data Use Cases and using Machine Learning Techniques to improve the data quality and transform  operational processes through predictive and prescriptive analytics.

Director Of Engineering (Use Case Enablement & Machine Learning)

Directed 4 diverse agile teams comprising 100+ engineers across the US and India with a budget exceeding $5 million.
Demonstrated exceptional leadership in managing complex product development involving 40+ operational systems, satisfying the requirements of 26 product owners across the Global Servicing Network.
Launched several tech innovation tools reducing development costs by $500K, enabling business self-service and accelerating time to market.
Oversaw a 65 TB UDB Data Warehouse, fortifying security measures, streamlining ETL & Reporting, and instituting regular data audits.
Achieved a 60% reduction in annual tech infrastructure costs ($2MM) and expanded storage by 212%.
Cultivated a team of 100+ professionals, championing mentorship initiatives, fostering knowledge-sharing through weekly technical forums, and creating a collaborative workspace.

Director of Engineering (Product Development)

Led a team of engineers building and supporting the Servicing Data Warehouse empowering self-service capabilities, analytics and reporting across several lines of business and operational systems.

Technical Lead

The Walt Disney Company

Engineered and executed three critical Data Warehouse Systems in the domains of Financial, Retail, and Licensing.

Developed a high-availability global financial data warehouse supporting Licensing Revenue, encompassing Sales, Royalties, Advances, Guarantees, Forecasts, and Intellectual Property, serving 3,000+ global users.

Technical Team Lead

Universal Studios Hollywood

Led a team and built several Data Warehouses in  Home Video & Supply Chain Domain

Lead Technical Architect

Senior Architect/Consultant

Federal Reserve Bank of South Africa

Database Administrator /Lead Technical Architect

Standard Bank South Africa

Database Administrator

Software Programmer

Do you feel like your boss doesn't see your hard work? Does it seem like you're always dealing with new bosses or tough office politics? You're not alone, and I'm here to help.

I've dealt with all of this myself. I've had nine different bosses in just a year and a half, and I've worked in high-pressure tech jobs that really test you. But I've learned how to make these tough situations work for me, not against me.

Here’s what I can do for you:

Take Back Control: If your boss is micromanaging you, I’ll show you how to handle it and feel confident in your job again.
Earn Trust: We'll work on ways to make your boss see your true value, which can help you move up the ladder.
Deal with Tough Workplaces: If your work environment feels hostile, I'll help you find ways to stand out positively.
Impress New Bosses Quickly: Whenever you get a new boss, I'll help you start off strong and build a good relationship right from the start.
Strengthen Good Relationships: Even if you and your boss get along well, there's always room to make that relationship even better.
Working well with your boss can really change your career. I'm here to help you turn those everyday job challenges into opportunities. Together, we’ll make sure you're recognized and get the chances you deserve to grow.

Let’s make your Mondays something to look forward to. We'll tackle these challenges head-on, and I’ll be there to support you every step of the way.

🚀 Ready to start? Schedule your free strategy session today!

If hard work was enough, you’d already be promoted.

Because hard work isn’t the language executives speak.

After 20 years in corporate, I’ve seen this play out:
Smart, hardworking people get passed over by those who play the game strategically.

Here’s why:
❌ 60+ hour weeks don’t prove you’re promotable
❌ Being the smartest in the room doesn’t matter if you’re invisible
❌ Doing every task yourself only makes you a bottleneck

Promotions don’t go to the hardest workers.
They go to leaders who create leverage, visibility, and trust.

Here are 5 ruthless strategies promotable leaders use to fast-track careers:

1️⃣ Delegate with discipline
Your value isn’t how much you do—it’s how well you get others to execute.

2️⃣ Make your impact impossible to ignore
If your wins aren’t packaged as business outcomes, they don’t exist to execs.

3️⃣ Speak executive language
“I finished a project” isn’t promotable.
“I delivered 15% cost savings and boosted retention” is.

4️⃣ Build influence across the org
Promotion-ready leaders move the business forward through others.

5️⃣ Stay calm while others panic
The steady leader wins trust—and gets tapped for bigger roles.

Bottom line: Hard work is just the entry ticket.
If you want the corner office, you need to change how you operate and communicate—starting now.

💬 What’s the #1 thing holding you back from being seen as promotion-ready?

🚀 This week I’m breaking down the complete promotion playbook—plus the 3 silent career killers—in my free workshop. Details in my profile. Don’t get left behind.

Leadership Coach for Tech Managers, Directors & VPs | Get promoted faster, free up 10+ hours weekly—without burning out | Ex-Director at Amex, Disney, Universal | Introvert energy, extrovert results

Most managers defend their team from fire drills.

Real leaders protect something far more valuable: bandwidth.

Because without bandwidth:
⚡ Projects stall.
⚡ Burnout spreads.
⚡ Promotions slip away.

Here are 10 ways leaders protect bandwidth (and multiply team capacity):
 1. No Fake Fires – Sort loud from critical.
 2. Focus Blocks – Guard deep work like uptime.
 3. Reset Deadlines – Negotiate before your team breaks.
 4. Credit Down – Recognition flows to your team.
 5. Trade-Offs First – Every new “yes” = a “no.” Say it out loud.
 6. Cut Busywork – If it doesn’t move code or customers, cut it.
 7. Block Politics – Absorb the crossfire, free the builders.
 8. Trim Meetings – Every extra meeting is stolen velocity.
 9. Spot Burnout – Quiet signals matter. Catch them early.
10. Kill Red Tape – Approvals slow impact. Simplify wherever you can.

Leaders who protect bandwidth don’t just shield teams from burnout.
They signal they’re operating at the next level of leadership.

👉 That’s the difference between being the bottleneck… and being tapped for bigger roles.

Want to learn how to position yourself as the promotable leader execs are looking for?

Join my free workshop: Working Harder Won’t Get You Promoted.
🚨 Only 20 spots — and 12 are already taken.
🔗 Link in the comments + featured section.

Your 1:1s aren’t broken. Your questions are.

Silence in a 1:1 doesn’t mean your team doesn’t care.
It means you’re asking generic questions.

“How’s everything going?”
“Any feedback for me?”
“What can I help with?”

These get you nothing.
And nothing kills leaders faster than blind spots they could’ve avoided.

Here’s what top leaders ask instead 👇

✅ 7 questions that cut through silence
✅ 7 questions that uncover real insights
✅ 7 questions that transform your 1:1s

The real secret?
Ask ONE question. Wait. Actually listen.
Don’t defend. Don’t explain. Don’t solve.
Just absorb.

Your quietest team members will become your sharpest advisors.

👉 Which of these 7 will you try first?


👥 Share with a fellow leader
👣 Follow me for playbooks that turn managers into leaders worth following

You’re not invisible because you’re bad at your job.
You’re invisible because you’re in the wrong quadrant.

Here’s how it plays out:

Two dimensions define it:
1. Mindset (Growth vs. Fixed)
2. Awareness (Low vs. High)

Put them together and you get four distinct identities:

🔴 The Ghost (Fixed + Low Awareness): Silent → Stagnant → Passed Over
🟠 The Worrier (Fixed + High Awareness): Aware → Anxious → Stalled
🟡 The Grinder (Growth + Low Awareness): Busy → Exhausted → Overlooked
🟢 The Promotable (Growth + High Awareness): Visible → Credible → Promotable

👉 Most managers spend years stuck in one of the first three quadrants. Hardworking, well-intentioned… but invisible or exhausted.

The promotion zone lives in only one quadrant: The Promotable.
This is where leaders leverage, delegate, and make impact visible. It’s where careers accelerate.

Question for you: Which quadrant are you in right now?

📌 Follow me ( Karin Fourie ) for leadership playbooks + join my free workshops to learn how to step into the Promotion Zone.

When Your Boss Never Gives You Feedback

Most professionals make one of two mistakes:
1. They wait in silence, hoping “no news is good news.”
2. Or they push too hard and come across as needy.
   
Neither works. But you’re not stuck — here’s how to take control.

❌ I’ll just wait until they tell me if this is right
✅ Send a short options memo: Here are 2 approaches. I recommend A — any objections?
(You get feedback without them realizing they gave it.)

❌ They didn’t react to my update, so I’m fine
✅ End updates with a decision hook: Does this align with your top priority, or should I adjust?
(Forces a simple yes/no instead of silence.)

❌ I’ll wait until my review for direction
✅ Build a self-review rhythm: Here are this month’s outcomes vs. our goals. Anything missing?
(You set the standard, they just react.)

❌ I guess they don’t care about growth
✅ Piggyback on business goals: You’re pushing X initiative — is there a way I can stretch into it?
(Growth conversation disguised as alignment.)

❌ They’ll see my impact eventually
✅ Send a wins digest: Here’s what shipped this week + the impact (time saved, revenue protected).
(You package proof without needing their praise.)

❌ They never give me next steps
✅ Close with momentum cues: Here’s what I’m tackling next — swap priorities if needed.
(Positions you as self-directed, while still creating a feedback window.)

👉 The big shift: Silence isn’t direction. Take control.

📌 Follow me ( Karin Fourie ) for real-world leadership playbooks.
Want to go deeper? Join my free workshop this Friday — link in profile.

Your boss needs mentoring.

But you can’t exactly say: “Let me mentor you.”

If you say it wrong, you sound arrogant.
If you say nothing, the team keeps struggling.

Here’s how to guide up without them even realizing it:

❌ “This new tool is great.
✅ “I’ve been using this tool to save 2 hours a week.  Want me to show you?”

❌ “That won’t work for younger employees.”
✅ “Here’s how the team is thinking about this. Want to hear more?”

❌ “We should do it differently.”
✅ “What if we tried ___? I can run a small test and share results.”

❌ “That’s outdated.”
✅ “I saw a company try a newer approach. Want me to pull an example?”

❌ “You don’t understand how people feel.”
✅ “Here’s the sentiment I’m hearing on the ground, thought you’d want visibility.”

❌ “That’s not how we do things anymore.”
✅ “I’ve seen teams approach this in a new way.  Want me to share an example?”

Bottom line: You don’t need to call it mentorship.
You just need to make your boss smarter by sharing the perspective they can’t see.

Ever had to mentor up? How did you do it without stepping on toes?
This is the kind of move senior leaders notice when promotion time comes.

Follow me ( Karin Fourie ) for actionable leadership strategies and playbooks.

Promotions don’t go to the most talented. 
They go to the most trusted.

The fastest-rising leaders aren’t always the most technically gifted.
They’re the ones who’ve mastered these 12 promotable skills:

The Communication Trio
1. Simplify complex ideas into 3 key points max
2. Stay calm when projects blow up (“Let’s focus on what we control”)
3. Own mistakes fast (“This was my call. Here’s how we fix it”)

The Influence Set
4. Follow through religiously (your word = your brand)
5. Build trust across teams (understand everyone’s priorities)
6. Ask questions that shift thinking (“What if we tried the opposite?”)

The Leadership Core
7. Adapt when plans change (flexibility > perfection)
8. Give credit publicly, take blame privately
9. Influence without authority (“What would success look like to you?”)

The Executive Edge
10. Read the room before you speak
11. Make people feel heard in every interaction
12. Drive alignment under pressure

Most leaders double down on technical skills.
Promotable leaders stack these 12.

Which of these 12 do you see execs reward most often? 

♻️ If this resonates, repost so more leaders see it.
📌 Follow Karin Fourie for leadership playbooks that get you promoted without asking.

Your Manager: The Lid on Your Potential

Most people don’t hit a ceiling. They get stuck under a lid.

That lid isn’t imaginary.
It’s your manager—sitting on top, holding everything down.

After 20 years in corporate, one lesson is clear:
Great talent rarely leaves companies.

They leave managers who hold them back.
• Brilliant solutions die in inboxes.
• “Safe” ideas win by default.
• Growth gets sliced into tiny increments.
• Ambition stays caged while someone else guards the keys.
• Impact gets filtered through another’s comfort zone.

But the best managers? They don’t sit on lids.
They remove them.

They:
• Delegate ownership, not just tasks.
• Share the “why” behind decisions.
• Celebrate bold moves—imperfections included.
• Trust first, verify later.
• Clear obstacles instead of creating them.
  
The question every leader should confront:
“Am I the lid on my team’s potential—or the launchpad?”

Your team already knows the answer.
The real question is: will they stay long enough to tell you?

💬 What’s the one quality that made your best manager unforgettable?
👇 Share your story—let’s set a higher bar for leadership.

Quiet quitting isn’t an employee problem.
It’s a leadership problem.

You can tell the moment a leader stops caring.
People still show up… but they’ve already checked out.

It doesn’t look dramatic. It looks like:
• Skipping 1:1s because “there’s no time.”
• Treating burned-out employees as “whiners.”
• Asking only about deadlines, never about roadblocks.

On the surface, everyone looks busy.
Underneath, the team is already gone.

• They give polite updates… then nothing happens.
• They avoid risk because they don’t trust you’ll back them.
• They start answering recruiter calls during the workday.

Caring isn’t being soft.
It’s asking before assuming.
It’s catching burnout early.
It’s choosing growth over control.

Want to show you really care?
Change “Why is this late?” to “What got in your way?”

One question builds trust. The other destroys it.

Most people don’t leave companies.
They leave leaders who stopped caring.

Leadership without care = quiet quitting.
Leadership with care = commitment.

I teach leaders how to turn quiet quitting into commitment.
Follow me for weekly leadership playbooks and check the link in my profile for my next free workshop.

Your boss can be your biggest career accelerator… or your biggest roadblock. What’s the hardest part of managing your boss?

What’s the toughest part of managing your boss?

The author can see how you vote. Learn more

At Boss-ify, we believe real leadership isn’t about defending teams from fire drills — it’s about protecting their bandwidth.
This post breaks down 10 ways leaders can protect team capacity and position themselves for the next level.
🚨 Want to go deeper? Join our free workshop Working Harder Won’t Get You Promoted.
 Only 20 spots — 12 already taken.
https://lnkd.in/gcNS3kbt

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