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Take Two!
Welcome to the second episode of the ThoughtLeadership.biz monthly podcast. Having been wowed by the first one, you’re thirsty for more, right?
Operating a crane in the blind is problematic, somewhat like podcasting, as last month’s launch of ThoughtLeadership.biz proved.
“Hey, here’s a good way to engage our target audiences,” we thought. “Chris, you like the sound of your own voice. How about you get with the marketing guys and start a podcast to accompany a monthly blog?”
Boy, that sounds easier than it turned out.
That intro was too fast. That one was too slow. Not sure about that outro, either.
“I will use this platform to educate, inform and entertain audiences…” I said. I’ve gotta read the script without stumbling on my words first.
And the backdrop. One color clashed with my shirt, the other my jacket. In fact, ditch the jacket… I’m not even going to wear one next time… I might sit down next time too. Look!
Don’t even get me started on the subtitles. Sub-typos, you mean? Also confined to history, as you’ll see.
Eventually, intro on point. Outro, even better. The bits in between captured the essence too. Listeners got it… two myths cut into pieces, rather like the first 10 edits of the podcast:
- Cameras are tower crane products
- Cameras check up or pry on workers
Ugh!
The good news is, people say podcasting gets easier the more you do it. Phew!
Even better news, when Lift & Hoist International—or LHI—magazine came knocking recently, they wanted me to write an article, not speak one.
You can check it out in their upcoming January/February edition, but I wanted to tease it here and touch upon some key takeaways:
The overarching theme was to reiterate the point that no matter the environment—hundreds of feet in the air or at ground level—operating heavy lifting equipment in the blind is dangerous… and I’m not talking about a kid heavy lifting a dumb bell.
I’m talking about professionals who need cameras for any application involving big, heavy, large, hazardous and / or critical loads, where an operator is working in the blind.
As I wrote, looking at the location of the crane or lift in isolation is not gathering enough intelligence by which to assess the requirement for crane cameras. Actually, it all depends on what the operator is trying to do and his or her ability to accomplish it.
What is interesting about LHI article is that it has healthy readership in marketplaces that are more familiar with electric overhead traveling (or EOT) cranes and hoists versus tower, mobile and truck cranes.
More than that, it specifically targets end users.
Think about it… that fits our ongoing educational program, which places end users at its center. OEMs (original equipment manufacturers) and other links in supply chains come later. After all, if decision makers at the point of use aren’t aware of the benefits of something, they won’t demand it of their suppliers.
The fixation with cameras as a tower crane product has led to an incorrect assumption that a monitor needs to be positioned in a cab.
In my first draft of the article I said this assumption was F’ed up, but my colleagues told me to edit it out. It was a bit too loaded, they suggested. Ok, but I stand by the comment. This is my podcast, after all.
You can imagine what they said when I wanted to include a sentence claiming there is a dying breed that still say the best way to operate a crane is to feel it shaking under their ass!
My editor’s red pen was out again… (I hope they’re not listening.)
Seriously though, a monitor is positioned where the operator is, and that doesn’t have to be in a box with windows.
They might be in a cab, yes.
But they could also be on a pedestal on a shop floor.
They may also be in a control room.
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