TURN-AROUND GUY
In business, a "Clean-up Guy" (or “Turn-Around Guy”) is brought in when a company/organization is truly on fire/a total mess.
A Clean-up guy knows full well his/her lifespan is 1-3 years, max. The primary objective is to 1) assess, 2) identify problem areas, 3) design a comprehensive plan to "fix" EVERY broken area ("rip-off the bandage all at once") and finally 4) EXECUTE the plan.
The final stage is critical and almost always (when done correctly) leads to TERMINATIONS of inept, incapable, nefarious or otherwise utterly incompetent managers and individual contributors.
The idea is to SAVE THE LIFE of the organization, via radical cancer treatments (including surgical excision of cancerous masses and radiating all surviving tissues).
The reason the Clean-up guy has a predetermined length of time to work, is that the people left in the surviving organization can "compartmentalize" the often traumatic time during the Turn-Around, by mentally assigning the entire period to that one, single individual; the Clean-up Guy. He provides the necessary intelligence and "fresh perspective" to see the crippling issues in the organization clearly–without the blurring caused by a broken culture, traditions, poorly-behaving key individuals and/or historical artifacts within. He also provides the requisite "scapegoat" which aids in the post-turn-around world.
Organizationally and/or operationally, it is nearly impossible to withstand the new, Teflon-coated Turn-Around Guy (as long as legal guidelines are followed), as there is 1) a deep, un-spoken cultural understanding WHY he is empowered and 2) things often move so swiftly and with so much calculation–the perpetrators don't have time or power to organize a resistance or fight the inevitable. Finally, those "good" people within the organization understand HOW/WHY things got so bad in the first place–and they quietly support the clean-up effort from the shadows, in order to secure their jobs and potentially, see "justice" served.
Mueller cannot withstand the “TEMP” (Clean-up Guy) currently in power.
Mueller cannot hide from the NEW BOSS who is forthcoming.
Mueller's hand is being forced, one way or another (cooperating player or out-of-time perpetrator) and he knows it.
Mr. Clean will do just that; CLEAN-HOUSE.
Then, when the Turn-Around is complete (in this setting), he will get his new boss up to speed, show him where all the skeletons are hiding–and do what he does best; fuck people up.
Blessed be our "Clean-up Guy". I hope someday, I can buy him a beer (or gallon of Fiji)!
WWG1WGA!