A new study reveals that business owners in the North East are more burdened by 'decision guilt' than their counterparts elsewhere in the UK. Commissioned by business advisors and accountants TC Group, which operates six sites in the region, the survey found that a third of North East respondents experience this feeling, the highest proportion nationally.
Survey findings on decision guilt and control
The research polled over 1,500 UK business leaders navigating constant change. Only one in eight feel fully in control of their operations, over 60% cannot confidently plan beyond the next quarter, and 40% cite political factors as the biggest challenge to their mental resilience.
Stephen Watts, chief operating officer at TC Group, said: 'There’s a real resilience and optimism in the North East. Our business owners are used to navigating change, and that experience shows. Despite carrying more guilt around decision-making than anywhere else in the country, they’re just as confident, if not more so, about pushing forward.'
Reasons behind the guilt
Watts explained: 'It doesn’t surprise us that the North East has come out highest for decision guilt. The leaders we work with are very community-driven, and are always conscious of supporting their teams, clients and customers the best they can. Many business owners are carrying decisions on people, cash flow and growth almost entirely on their own shoulders. That weight builds up, even when the business itself is performing well.'
TC Group report: Success without stillness
TC Group's report, titled 'Success without stillness: leadership in motion,' paints a picture of business leaders who are clear-headed but often only for the next immediate decision. They are described as confident but under more pressure, responsible for more but feeling in control of less.
The study indicates that personal growth is now the top measure of success for business owners, followed by financial success, developing people, providing family security, creating something of their own, and building a long-term legacy.
Redefining success
Watts added: 'Financial success still matters, but it is no longer the only measure. For many business owners, success is also about building something sustainable, developing people, protecting family security and creating a business that still feels worth the effort.'
'The strongest businesses are not those where one person carries everything alone. They are the ones where responsibility is shared, good people are trusted and the right external support is brought in at the right time. That is where trusted advisors can make a real difference - not by simplifying the world business owners operate in, but by helping them navigate it with better insight, stronger foundations and more confident decision-making. The road ahead will continue to shift, our job is to make sure businesses are ready to move with it.'
