Christopher Lyddy on Leading with Mindfulness
Why Mindfulness May Be One of the Most Underrated Management Skills
For Christopher Lyddy, Ph.D., an associate professor of management in the Providence College School of Business, mindfulness is not just about slowing down. Rather, it is about learning how to manage yourself better so you can work better, lead better, and live better.
A Path Rooted in Others
Lyddy was an economics major at the University of Michigan but soon realized he wanted to focus more on helping others, not just making decisions based on numbers. This realization led him to shift his focus to public policy as he worked in Washington, D.C. in economic policy. He later earned a master’s degree in city planning from MIT and completed a doctorate in organizational behavior at Case Western Reserve University.
Bringing Mindfulness Into the Classroom
Now at Providence College, Lyddy teaches Organizational Behavior and Experimenting with Self-Change, classes where students think about their habits, how to improve them and also how to leverage their strengths while preparing for the corporate world.
In Organizational Behavior, students participate in a series of mini experiments throughout the semester, including a short mindfulness exercise. In the Experimenting with Self-Change class, some students also have the option to complete a personal research paper focused on a habit or behavior they want to change. Along the way, students answer important questions: Why do we get stuck? Why do we relapse? Why is change so hard even when we want it? Through Prof. Lyddy’s guidance, personal reflection, and small group work, students learn to better understand themselves and their actions.
The Impact of Mindfulness
Lyddy’s classes connect closely to his research on mindfulness and digital distraction. Lyddy has spent time studying why people feel like they cannot stop checking their phones, remaining one of the top distractions that affects daily life. This research work has also led to his involvement with Providence College’s Presidential Task Force on Combating Digital Addiction, along with work connected to Rev. Thomas More Garrett, O.P., the college’s former vice president of mission and ministry.
Mindfulness matters because of the many areas it affects. Lyddy explained that research shows how mindfulness can support mental health, physical health, job performance, focus, and the way people connect with others. “Mindfulness skills are management skills,” he said, adding that before people can manage others, they must be able to manage themselves well.
Skills for Everyday Life
Lyddy is especially interested in how mindfulness helps in everyday moments. For example, when someone receives negative feedback, practicing mindfulness can help them avoid losing self-esteem. Instead, they can pause, hear the information about how to improve without feeling the usual sting, and respond more thoughtfully. Lyddy mentions how this leads into work life and allows those to be more present, navigate their stress, and handle challenging situations within leadership responsibly.
Lyddy emphasizes how mindfulness is a tool that is consistently helpful. Across medicine, neuroscience and psychology, research shows strong benefits with some studies suggesting it may help slow biological and neurological aging. Considering this data, Lyddy is surprised that mindfulness doesn’t get more attention — especially because you do not need any skills to begin. It can be as simple as practicing meditation and everyday awareness. Becoming mindful is as simple as attending to your next breath.
A Natural Fit at Providence
Beyond his research and teaching, Lyddy appreciates the humanity, friendliness, and positivity of Providence College. He values the community and the academic freedom to openly explore these ideas with students. Lyddy appreciates the academic freedom to explore these ideas openly with his students.
Lyddy offers a clear message: mindfulness is not separate from success at work or in life — it is often part of what makes both possible!
