Photo credit: Fabrice Florin/flickr. https://www.flickr.com/photos/fabola/874357185

Uncertainty is a way of life in the business world.

So how do you learn to work through it — and maybe even thrive in it?

Jonathan Berman writes in the Harvard Business Review about three ways to take on uncertainty:

The status quo seems the safest situation from which to assess.

It’s not an instinct limited to the wild. In the wake of the 2008 financial crisis, U.S. companies have often hesitated to invest, citing “uncertainty” while they sit on a historic mountain of cash. Employees have also been quitting jobs less often and U.S .families haven’t been moving as much. Relative to our past, we are standing still, taking stock.

Uncertainty is not going away anytime soon, and inaction can’t be the default response. So how should leaders adapt? I recently discussed the issue of managing through uncertainty with retired U.S. general and former CIA director David Petraeus, now a partner in the global investment firm KKR and Chairman of KKR’s Global Institute. Petraeus has managed uncertainty of global scope and with the highest stakes. Our conversation took place well before the recent upswing in terrorist violence, but the lessons have an added resonance now. Our conversation left me with three recommendations for managing uncertainty that we all can use:

• Learn faster than your opponent

• Focus guidance on bigger issues

• Be ready to exploit surprise gains

• Read more here.