The key ingredient, which you certainly had and the author didn't, was buy-in from an authoritative level of management. Yes, put in the work and it's possible... as long as the VP doesn't shut it down.
You'd rather say GP was hired by management to right the ship, for that kind of task someone external is needed. Tone is set at the top, and getting buy-in from the head bum to throw the bums out, that's unheard of.
