Cardiff manager Steve Morison admitted the derby day defeat to Bristol City last month was the "kick up the a***" his players needed to help spark a turnaround in form.
The Robins triumphed 3-2 over their rivals on January 22 to ensure they retained the bragging rights over the Bluebirds in a five-goal thriller at Ashton Gate.
Cardiff's James Collins opened the scoring on the half-hour mark before Chris Martin ended his five-month-long wait for a home goal by levelling just minutes later.
Martin would add his second before Andi Weimann added a third as Max Watters ensured a nail-biting final few seconds of the contest.
Cardiff had arrived into the contest without a win in five league matches but it was the defeat to City that forced his players to buck up their ideas and avoid looking over their shoulders.
They beat in-form Nottingham Forest in their next outing before backing that up with a win over relegation-threatened Barnsley.
Reported by Wales Online, Morison said after a 3-1 FA Cup defeat at Liverpool on Sunday: "When you sit there and go through it in black and white and everyone has accountability, it is really interesting how the room opens up and everyone is going, 'Actually yeah, you're right', or, 'No, you're wrong' and you can go through it.
"Little individual conversations we had after. I remember speaking to Rallsy (Joe Ralls) in the middle of a little passing drill and he said, 'It was the kick up the a*** I needed'.
"That's the reaction you want and that's the impact it can make. That's all we've been trying to do all along."
The two victories have given Cardiff breathing space above the drop zone as they sit nine points above Peterborough in 22nd place.
Meanwhile, City host struggling Reading on Wednesday looking to end a run of three games without a win.
Assistant Curtis Fleming revealed in Monday's post-match press conference that manager Nigel Pearson could be tempted to bring goalkeeper Dan Bentley back into the fold.
It's now nine consecutive league matches where City have conceded two goals or more and they will equal a 60-year record if they make it 10 against The Royals.
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