With the world as chaotic as it is and the myopic dedication demonstrated by top business leaders, young high-flyers are increasingly turning their backs on traditional CEO ambitions.

High salaries, even at the exotic levels of banking bonuses, just aren’t enough to attract their interest.

At Harvard, this year’s MBA graduates are not seeking corporate employment – 75% of them say they will join small startups or create their own business.

For this new generation of graduates the definition of what success looks like is changing fundamentally.

What are the new ‘wants’ among young high-flyers? We asked a few to give us their views. This might not be statistically accurate but there is a strong sense of purpose that emerges!

* I want a three-day ‘workweek’ (15 hours a day is fine by the way) and be able to spend the rest with my family.

* I want to have multiple simultaneous careers, I want diversity, I don’t want to be locked in one box, with all of the same people, all of the time.

* I want to satisfy my non-commercial interests – while I’m ‘working’; I want to be able to develop these into possible future revenue streams and write them off against tax while I do.

* I want the freedom to switch-on to business when I choose to. I will manage my customers, clients and business partners to make that possible.

* Don’t try to give me your ‘corporate PC’ to use or surround me with your corporate rules; I’ll decide how I interact with the information ether, choose my devices and upgrade when I want to.

* I want to be your partner, not your employee.

Head-hunters are finding it increasingly difficult to source CEO prospects as the pool dwindles and new lifestyle demands push to the top of their personal priority list.

One consequence is that corporates are increasing looking at smaller business units – more independent, highly flexible and ubiquitously networked.