Diplomacy vs Ego : Lessons, I learnt too Late

Simple task, simple approach?
 
I was tasked to establish a Construction Material Lab in a far flung area.
The aim of lab was to improve the quality of materials being used by construction wing of the firm. Now I was technically supposed to be reporting to the head office,  but all assistance required to set up the lab was to be rendered by Construction arm in location. Unsurprisingly the cooperation and the assistance obtained from the lab was negligible.
 
I requested, pleaded, only to be rebuffed or ignored. My ego kicked in, I established the lab with minimal assistance and naturally lots of pain.

Now hindsight gives me the luxury to check out what I did wrong and what I could do right. I was talking to an ex-employee who had faced a similar situation. this is what he told - "I went to the boss of local office and told him that I will be dependent on him for my living, in as so much though I was from different section he needed to adopt me as his own. I went to him regularly, boosted his ego and got his backing for all my endeavours "

My hindsight says, if I had done the same gone to the boss with desperate plea and boosted his ego wherein he rendered assistance just keep up with his inflated ego, my life would have been simpler.