Least-Preferred Coworker Scale

Posted on by user

Least-Preferred Coworker (LPC) Scale: Definition and Application

What it is

The Least-Preferred Coworker (LPC) Scale, developed by Fred Fiedler, is a diagnostic tool used to infer an individual’s leadership orientation—whether they are more relationship-oriented or task-oriented. It is a core component of Fiedler’s contingency theory of leadership, which links leader style to situational favorableness.

How the scale works

  • The respondent is asked to think of the one person they would least like to work with (the “least-preferred coworker”) and then rate that person on a series of bipolar adjective pairs (e.g., pleasant–unpleasant, friendly–unfriendly, supportive–hostile).
  • Each adjective pair is scored on a scale (commonly 1 to 8). Typical versions use 18 to 25 adjective pairs; the LPC score is the sum of those ratings.
  • Higher total LPC scores indicate a relationship-oriented leader (tending to describe the least-preferred coworker in more positive terms). Lower LPC scores indicate a task-oriented leader (tending to describe that person more negatively).

Typical administration (step-by-step)

  1. Present the respondent with the LPC questionnaire (18–25 bipolar adjective pairs).
  2. Instruct them to rate their least-preferred coworker for each adjective pair using the numeric scale.
  3. Sum the numeric ratings to obtain the LPC score.
  4. Interpret the score: higher values → relationship orientation; lower values → task orientation.

Interpretation in context

Fiedler’s contingency theory links LPC orientation to situational favorableness, defined by three factors:
* Leader-member relations (trust, confidence, rapport)
* Task structure (clarity and routine of tasks)
* Position power (leader’s formal authority)

According to the model:
* Task-oriented leaders (low LPC) tend to perform best in very favorable or very unfavorable situations.
* Relationship-oriented leaders (high LPC) tend to perform best in moderately favorable situations.

Applications

  • Leadership development and selection: helps identify a leader’s natural orientation and which situations they may handle best.
  • Team assignment and restructuring: matching leader style to team maturity, task clarity, and required control.
  • Organizational diagnosis: understanding mismatches between leader style and situational demands.

Limitations and cautions

  • Measures a single, self-reported tendency and assumes leadership style is relatively fixed, which may oversimplify real-world behavior.
  • Responses can be biased by mood, recent experiences, or social desirability.
  • Cutoffs and interpretation vary by instrument version; scores should be used alongside other assessments and contextual judgment.
  • The contingency model assumes situation-based effectiveness in broad strokes, but practical outcomes depend on many variables (culture, task complexity, individual differences).

Key takeaways

  • The LPC Scale classifies leaders as relationship-oriented (high LPC) or task-oriented (low LPC) by having them evaluate their least-preferred coworker.
  • Its primary value is in matching leader orientation to situational favorableness (leader-member relations, task structure, position power).
  • Use the LPC as one input among several—combine with behavioral observation, performance metrics, and situational analysis for practical decisions.