IROs who stand out from the competition and advance in their career take on additional training in areas beyond their technical expertise. As part of your responsibilities, you often advise upper management on how they communicate with Wall Street, the press and other constituencies in the financial arena. For instance, you might recommend they spend time with a public speaking coach or do some media training. But don't forget about yourself. You need the same communication savvy that you use to help the CEO and CFO.

You talk to the press, the Street and investors on a daily basis - probably more than management. That's your job. Keeping communication and personal skills sharp is a key to professional development.  You can hone your skills by utilizing seminars, workshops, continuing education, self-help books and coaching - through NIRI as well as other organizations. The results can be dramatic.

Training can round out your professional expertise, set you apart from the competition, build your confidence and demonstrate to the executive team that you have earned "a seat at the table."

What kind of training should you take on, and why?
Below are some career-enhancing suggestions and guidelines, as well as what to expect from them.

Speaking/presentation skills:
From this training you should learn public speaking skills and techniques; pre-planning; writing and rehearsing (including being videotaped); verbal and non-verbal communication; dealing with lecterns, microphones and props; movement and gesticulation; audience reactions; and overcoming stage fright. It should include how to have a quality-sounding voice that is clear and not too loud or soft. You'll also learn how to avoid strain from poor breathing, repetitive talking, travel and stress. Honing your skills will make you a better speech coach to the executive team as well as improve your ability to deliver a powerful, persuasive presentation with the right message.

Media training:
This should help you and your executive team become more media friendly and savvy, as well as prepare you - the IRO - for when you have to step into the spotlight.  The first thing you should learn is that if you or your CEO/executive team are anywhere near a camera, assume it is on and recording every word and action. The training should include understanding the media mindset and basic workings in the multichannel broadcasting universe. It should also include writing exercises and simulate delivering scripts in any media situation (talk show sets, radio) with the use of PowerPoint projection, TelePromp-Ters, etc. Make sure you learn how to enhance the positive media you receive and deal with the negative.

Business writing:
People judge you by your use of language. This training should include essential rules of writing a meaningful, concise, error-free message, whether for a sophisticated and complicated annual report, an in-house magazine brief, a speech, proposal, report, correspondence, announcement or even an e-mail message. After expressing a basic organization of thoughts on paper, you should learn how to juice up sentences, proof and edit, and perfect your grammar and vocabulary skills, plus learn the tricks of great writers. You'll become more succinct and articulate, hence more effective in conveying your company's message.

Creative thinking:
This training can help you move beyond the limits of your current approach to thinking and tap into your own brilliance. The training should include strategic, tactical, positive and creative thinking.

Humor writing:
This training is not designed to make you a stand-up comedian. Instead, it should add that extra zing to your writing and presentations. It should teach you the different types of humor and what works and doesn't in business writing. In addition, it should include how to incorporate anecdotes, wit, stories, examples and humorous lines into briefings, seminars, conference presentations, investor visits, etc. It should also be a reminder to keep your own sense of humor when everyone around you is losing theirs.

Executive presence:
Long before you sit at the "table," you have to look and act as though you belong there. You'll manage upward more successfully if you have the characteristics, behaviors and attributes of a dynamic leader. In this training, you should become aware of your style and potential impact, then learn the winning combination that fits your style of how to be more memorable, impressive, credible, genuine, trusted, liked, confident, competent, comfortable, cool, collected and charismatic - in any situation.

Appearance:
Your professional polish sends a message and sets an example. In short, everything counts. In this training, you'll learn to enhance the impression and impact you make on others. It should cover appropriate attire for your workplace, a job interview or a media interview. (No stripes on television because they dance around!)

Sales training:
As with the CEO, your No. 1 job is "selling," even though it's not written in your official job description. In this training, you'll learn to focus on "customer" needs, not just your own. Learn to position and prepare your perspective, align and leverage your goals, turn around objections and achieve win-win outcomes over long-term relationships.

Crisis management:
Just when you think everything is going smoothly, you get broadsided: A plane crashes; food is contaminated; the product is tainted; or the CEO is indicted. Be prepared!  Training in crisis management should teach you how to determine your company's response, pinpoint spokespeople, handle intrusive media, communicate under pressure and, ultimately, test your response.

Time management:
In your job, you need to spend more time on what needs to get done every day and less time putting out fires. A lesson in time management will help you to put things in perspective; decrease interruptions; focus on where to put time, energy and resources; and set and reach goals. The training should include how to identify your own barriers to time management, concentrate, plan and clarify, and say "no" to unreasonable requests.

Organization skills:
As the IRO, you have to avoid sinking under a pile of paperwork. In this training, you'll learn how to file, not pile; set priorities; creatively process paperwork (aside from trashing it); minimize clutter, disarray and disorder; and develop a checklist to always keep you on course. An especially important aspect to learn is that everyone's different. You must learn to organize well, not only for yourself but also in a manner that meets others' wants and needs.

Delegation skills:
You can't do it all. You have to free yourself up to do more of the things you should be doing. Whether you have one or 100 people working with you, you'll earn respect by delegating well. The training should include an understanding of delegation and how to go about it: how to choose the right person for the job, measure success, delegate upward and deal with being delegated to.

Supervisory skills:
When you delegate, you'll probably end up with supervisory responsibility. Supervisory training is moreConflict resolution: than dealing with getting the job done.  It also encompasses training in company policy, personnel, organizational performance, turnover, planning and scheduling, problem-solving, sexual harassment, discrimination, workplace violence, productivity and workplace safety. It's not your job to be a full-fledged expert in these areas, but a working knowledge will greatly enhance your worth to the company.

Different people have different attitudes and behaviors, and incompatible goals.  Sometimes this can cause conflict that requires a peaceful resolution. In the training, you'll want to learn what triggers your own conflict as well as others; and develop techniques to identify it, resolve it and prevent it at all levels. Most importantly, you should learn that the greatest beneficial change in an organization comes from conflict resolution.

Stress management:
If you don't control stress, it could take a long-lasting negative toll on your life.  Different things cause stress for different people. For one person, it's delivering a speech; for another, it's the traffic on the drive home. This training should teach you the difference between destructive and constructive stress. You should learn simple, workable solutions to identify and either manage and control or avoid destructive stress, yet still utilize the constructive type for professional development.

Self-defense training:
No, I'm not kidding. You learn a lot about dealing with people in business from being in such a chaotic and demanding predicament.

From self-defense training, you'll learn how to become more aware of your surroundings, assess and take control of a situation, manage your fear, defuse a hot situation, become a non-victim, develop street smarts and decide when to fight and when to run.

The benefits of initiating any training, either on your own or with the company's support, are numerous to you and your organization. You'll be able to:

• Know firsthand what your CEO and the executive team deals with when they are in the spotlight. You'll be able to hold your own with them.
• Better prepare yourself to speak with authority, knowledge, credibility, trust and confidence.
• Help those you coach to prevent potential pitfalls and setbacks.
• Have confidence when representing your department, company, etc.
• Avoid being fooled by those who proclaim they know more.
• Round out your exposure and experience in business.
• Test your interest in other disciplines for your future career advancement.
• Increase your opportunities to network and influence more people.
• Relate to a broader and more diverse audience.
• Have more fun, relieve boredom and fill in the slow times.
• Be more creative and resourceful in your work and life, offering fresh ideas and perspectives with authority.
• Separate yourself from the competition.