Least Preferred Coworker

Abstract

The Least Preferred Coworker (LPC) scale is a brief, 15-item psychometric instrument developed by Fred E. Fiedler in 1967. It serves as the cornerstone of Fiedler’s seminal Contingency Theory of Leadership Effectiveness. The scale uses a semantic differential format to assess a leader’s fundamental motivational orientation, categorizing them as primarily task-oriented (Low LPC score) or relationship-oriented (High LPC score).

The LPC score is used in conjunction with three crucial situational dimensions—the quality of leader-member relations, the degree of task structure, and the measure of leader-position power—to predict the effectiveness of the leader’s style in various organizational contexts. The instrument is highly regarded in organizational psychology for its role in linking leadership style to situational favorability.

Keywords

Least Preferred Coworker, LPC, Fiedler, contingency theory of leadership effectiveness, leadership style, task-oriented, relationship-oriented, semantic differential, position power

Authors

Fred E. Fiedler

Purpose

The primary purpose of the LPC scale is to quantify an individual leader’s motivational disposition. By instructing leaders to rate the person they have worked with least effectively, the scale reveals their underlying priority structure—whether they seek to satisfy needs through successful task completion (Low LPC) or through achieving and maintaining positive interpersonal relationships (High LPC).

The resulting LPC score is then utilized within the Contingency Model to determine the optimal match between leadership style and situational context. Fiedler theorized that highly favorable and highly unfavorable situations required task-oriented (Low LPC) leaders, while moderately favorable situations required relationship-oriented (High LPC) leaders for maximum effectiveness.

Construct

The LPC scale measures a relatively stable, underlying psychological construct defined as a leader’s motivational hierarchy or style. This construct is interpreted not as a measure of skill, but as a trait-like preference that governs a leader’s behavior, particularly under stress.

The theoretical foundation links this motivational style to three critical factors that define the favorability of the leadership situation: leader-member relations (the trust and loyalty between the leader and followers), task structure (the clarity and specificity of task goals and methods), and leader-position power (the formal authority the leader possesses to reward or punish subordinates).

Validity

Extensive construct validity research has been conducted on the LPC scale, providing strong documentation for its theoretical interpretation. Studies consistently confirm that a high LPC score correlates directly with an interpersonally oriented leadership style, meaning these leaders prioritize maintaining good relationships and managing conflict.

Conversely, scores of 63 or less (Low LPC) are validated as representing a task-oriented leader style, where the primary focus is on efficient productivity and goal attainment. This dichotomy forms the empirical basis for applying the LPC score within the predictive framework of the Contingency Model.

Reliability

The LPC scale exhibits robust psychometric reliability across various studies. Measures of internal consistency, specifically split-half reliability estimates, have been reported to range impressively from 0.86 to 0.92. This high consistency confirms that the 15 items reliably measure the same underlying motivational construct.

Furthermore, the scale demonstrates acceptable temporal stability, with median test-retest reliability coefficients ranging from 0.67 to 0.81. This stability supports the contention that the LPC score reflects a relatively fixed personality trait or motivational disposition rather than a transient state.

Factor Analysis

Fiedler employed numerous factor analytic studies throughout the development and refinement of the Least Preferred Coworker scale. These methodological investigations were essential to ensure that the set of 15 bipolar adjectives adequately captured the intended dimensions of leadership motivation.

Detailed results and methodologies concerning the factor structure of the LPC are documented within Fiedler’s subsequent academic publications, providing strong empirical backing for the scale’s structure and its use as a unitary measure of motivational style.

Instrument

Test Type: Psychological Inventory / Leadership Assessment

Format: 15-item Semantic Differential Scale

Language Available: English (Original)

Population Group: Adults (Leaders, managers, and subjects in organizational psychology research)

Age Group: Adult working population

Population Details: The scale development was based on large samples, typically involving 2,000 or more subjects, drawn from a variety of adult occupational and organizational populations.

Test Methodology: Individuals are asked to rate a coworker with whom they have worked least well using 15 pairs of bipolar adjectives. The scale employs an eight-point Likert type response anchor. The total LPC score is derived by summing the ratings, with the positive adjective in each pair receiving the higher score (8).

Keywords

LPC scale, Fiedler, leadership effectiveness, task structure, position power, leader-member relations, psychometrics, organizational psychology, motivational orientation

Authors

Author ORCID Identifier: Not specified in source material.

Affiliation Email addresses: Not specified in source material.

Correspondence Address: Not specified in source material.

Permissions & Fee and Test Year

Test Year: 1967 (Initial publication in A theory of leadership effectiveness)

Permissions and Fee: The scale is proprietary, and commercial or research use typically requires consultation with the original publisher or the licensing organization managing Fiedler’s intellectual property.

Reference’s

Fiedler, F. E. (1967). A theory of leadership effectiveness. New York: McGraw-Hill.

Fiedler, F. E., and Chemers, M. M. (1984). Improving leadership effectiveness. New York: Wiley.

Fiedler, F. E., and Garcia, J. E. (1987). New approaches to effective leadership. New York: Wiley.

Items of the Least Preferred Coworker

1. Pleasant                       Unpleasant
2. Friendly                         Unfriendly
3. Rejecting                        Accepting
4. Helpful                           Frustrating
5. Unenthusiastic            Enthusiastic
6. Tense                                 Relaxed
7. Distant                                Close
8. Cold                                     Warm
9. Cooperative              Uncooperative
10. Supportive                       Hostile
11. Quarrelsome               Harmonious
12. Self-Assured                    Hesitant
13. Efficient                          Inefficient
14. Gloomy                             Cheerful
15. Open                                  Guarded