Hire small giants in 2009

Seth Godin gets to the point in his post Hubris vs. Humility. 

Great companies hire great people (Google, Microsoft, GE, Dell etc) but as Godin comments how many can survive away from the big marketing mother ship?  Can an Oracle or SAP software sales person hack it in the real world?  Can a P&G or Apple marketing guru make it happen on a smaller scale?  Can a Boots or M&S store manager turn the pennies for a less well known retailer? 

Of course some can and will but how many?  I've hired (and fired) a few of this ilk and still see them in place at many companies; living off the fat of the land playing the big 'I am'.  We may soon see a few of these faces on Linkedin 'looking to discuss opportunities'.  As Godin states:

"Confidence is often a self-fulfilling prophecy, particularly in marketing or investing. Arrogance, on the other hand, is hard to reward."