Audio Boom Pole Handling on Steadicam

I recently tried a new approach to booming dialogue when operating Steadicam, particularly in tight interiors with low ceilings. Instead of the usual method of having the boom op track alongside with the pole outstretched, which can lead to shadows and collision risks, we experimented with having the boom op 'lead' me, holding the 4017 pointed backward over their shoulder, with the pole angled slightly upward. This allowed for much tighter cornering and eliminated the issue of my body or the rig casting shadows from the overhead practicals onto our talent. It worked surprisingly well for a scene where the actors were moving through a narrow hallway and then into a small office. We got clean, consistent audio with minimal boom shadow issues, which had been a persistent problem on previous sets with similar confined spaces. The biggest challenge was the boom op maintaining precise distance and angle, as they had nothing to 'reverse reference' against, they were essentially walking backward while booming forward. We had a few instances where the mic drifted off-axis, but a slight adjustment to communication cues ironed most of it out. Have any other operators found unconventional boom placement to be effective in difficult Steadicam scenarios, or developed specific communication short-hands with boom ops for these situations?