Mgma Small Talk

This week on the MGMA Insights Podcast, Sr. Editor and host Daniel Williams chats with communication strategist Pamela Barnum, MPA, JD, whose undercover law‑enforcement career and time as a federal prosecutor offer a masterclass in reading people fast. Their conversation dives into those invisible layers of communication: the signals, cues, and micro‑behaviors that shape trust long before words do.Barnum breaks down her 3D Communication Framework (Display, Decode, Deliver), offering actionable strategies to defuse conflict, sharpen communication, improve team connection, and manage the rise in disruptive behavior in healthcare environments. This episode also previews her keynote at next month's MGMA Financial Conference.Key Takeaways[06:08] Understanding the real weight of nonverbal communication Barnum explains why the old “7% rule” is misleading — but why nonverbal cues (tone, cadence, pauses, presence) still drive the majority of how trust is built in clinical and leadership conversations.[08:50] Combatti