Spotting decision-making patterns in growing businesses

This article is a part of our Risk + Reward series. Capital One Business and Inc. partnered to survey 349 business leaders in November 2025 to explore the factors that affect how they weigh business risks and rewards in navigating modern business landscapes.

Amid persistent economic and geopolitical uncertainty, leaders of growing businesses are focusing on what they can control and trusting in their organization’s future, according to the second annual Risk & Reward survey, in which Capital One and Inc. surveyed 349 business leaders about how they weigh risks and rewards in their businesses. Let’s explore evolving decision-making patterns, including the impact of technology, and consider best practices for making strong choices in today’s business environment.

Sixty-four percent of respondents describe the current business climate as positive for their companies, compared with 80% 2024. Despite this decline, 53% of business leaders perceive decision-making as less challenging than it was a year ago. Additionally, they may derive solace and motivation from the idea that their company’s future depends on their leadership, not external factors, a belief shared by 57% of respondents for the second year in a row.

Leadership takeaway: Remembering that you are in control of your organization’s growth trajectory can improve confidence and mindset and positively influence employee morale. 

More than half of business leaders exhibit unwavering confidence:

• 56% say they feel little uncertainty when making decisions.

• 57% believe growth depends on decision-making rather than external factors, echoing findings from the previous Risk & Reward survey.

Fortune favors the bold—and the quick-moving. Seventy-six percent of business leaders describe their decision-making as fast rather than deliberate. This trend was more pronounced among leaders of large organizations (those with revenues greater than $25 million) than small ones (81% versus 72%), challenging the notion that bureaucracy bogs down big companies.

Leadership takeaway: While some leaders act fast because they’re sure of themselves, many wish they had more time to strategize. Consider carving out time each week to think about the big picture and ensure that each short-term decision aligns with long-term goals.

While overall decision-making confidence has increased, leaders still cite challenges.

When it comes to decision-making about business growth, they struggle most with:

• Lack of time to focus on the business versus in the business (49%)

• Uncertainty about the economy, interest rates and labor markets (35%)

• Uncertainty about new technologies (33%)

According to Inc. and Capital One Business research, business leaders are increasingly relying on intuition rather than data in decision-making. Perhaps gut-driven decisions correlate with high growth: Our 2025 research found that high-growth businesses (companies that had more than 10% revenue growth over the previous year) placed greater weight on intuition in decision-making than slow growers (68% versus 48%).

Decision-makers are also comfortable with risk: 58% describe themselves as risk-tolerant rather than risk-averse (42%), and 49% consider risk tolerance essential to building a small or midsize company.

Leadership takeaway: Consider developing a process to vet your gut-based decisions using data and input from your team, and note the growing role of AI, as described below.

Are business leaders becoming more intuitive?

In 2024, 54% of business leaders reported relying on intuition to make decisions, compared with 62% in 2025.

While business leaders trust their instincts, they also recognize the importance of leveraging AI to gain an edge. Sixty-five percent of respondents are investing significantly in AI transformation. The biggest perceived benefit of AI is the ability to make informed, data-driven decisions (67%), followed by increased efficiency, productivity and profitability (58%) and faster speed of business (39%).

Despite AI’s potential, many respondents (42%) find technology to be the most challenging business area for decision making, similar to 2024 findings, in which 50% of business leaders cited digital transformation choices as the toughest to make.

Business leaders say these are the most challenging business areas in terms of decision-making:

1. Digital transformation (automation and AI)

2. Supply chain (new vendors)

3. Addition of new products and lines of business

4. Entry into new geographical markets

5. Human resources

Despite a rather unstable business climate and a steady stream of challenges, business leaders across small and large organizations exhibit remarkable resilience and confidence in their decision-making.

By remembering that you are in control of your company and following your gut while relying on data, you can lead with confidence and work toward your growth goals, whatever they may be.

Read more about the factors that affect how business leaders make decisions.