What it means
A person completing the scale thinks of the coworker with whom they have worked least well and rates that person on a series of opposite pairs of words, such as friendly and unfriendly, or cooperative and uncooperative. Each pair is scored on a numbered scale, and the scores are added up.
The total is the leader's LPC score. A high LPC score means the leader describes even a difficult colleague in fairly kind terms.
Fiedler interpreted this as a sign of a relationship-oriented leader, who values good relations and is motivated by them. A low score means the leader describes that person harshly, suggesting a task-oriented leader who is motivated mainly by getting the job done.
The scale matters because of what Fiedler did with it. His contingency model says that a leader's style is fairly fixed, and effectiveness depends on matching the leader to the situation.
Situations are rated on the quality of leader-member relations, how structured the task is and how much formal power the leader has. In practice, the model suggests that task-oriented leaders do best in situations that are either very favourable or very unfavourable, while relationship-oriented leaders do best in the middle.
The advice is to change the situation, such as restructuring the job or the leader's authority, rather than try to change the person. Organisations have used the idea when choosing who should lead a turnaround, a new project or a team in conflict.
The scale has been debated for decades. Critics question whether it really measures a stable trait, how reliable it is over time and what exactly it captures.
It is best treated as a thought-provoking tool for understanding leadership, not a precise predictor of a manager's success.
In practice
Real-world examples.
Example
A bank assigns a leader to rescue a failing project that has unclear goals and a hostile team. His LPC score shows him to be task-focused, which suits a very difficult situation. The head of operations gives him strong formal authority to match.
Example
A consultancy has a team with good relationships but a loosely defined task and little formal authority for the manager. Human resources suggests a relationship-oriented leader with a high LPC score. The firm believes this style will keep the team cooperative and productive.
Example
A training manager uses the scale in a workshop for new team leaders. Each leader completes the questionnaire and discusses how their style might help or hinder in different situations. Several decide to ask for clearer roles or authority rather than try to change their personalities.
Formula
Calculation
LPC score = sum of the ratings given to the least preferred coworker across all the opposite word pairs
A manager rates her least preferred coworker on 16 opposite word pairs, each scored from 1 (most negative) to 8 (most positive). Her ratings average 5 across the pairs, so her LPC score is 16 x 5 = 80. If her colleague had been rated at an average of 3, the score would be 16 x 3 = 48. The first score points to a relationship-oriented style and the second to a task-oriented style, with the highest possible total being 16 x 8 = 128.Case study
Seen in the real world.
Sterling Ward Logistics is an illustrative, fictional freight company that struggled with a warehouse team in constant conflict. The operations director asked two candidate supervisors to complete the LPC scale and found that one scored low, at 45, and the other scored high, at 82.
The situation was moderately favourable: relationships were strained, the task was clear and the supervisor would have fair formal power. Based on the contingency model, the company appointed the high-scoring supervisor, who rebuilt trust, and absenteeism fell from 9% to 5% within six months. The illustrative lesson is that matching style to situation, and not simply picking the strongest personality, can improve results.
Watch out
Common mistakes.
- Assuming a high score means a better leader, when the model says neither style is better in all situations.
- Treating the score as a precise prediction of success, when research has questioned its reliability and meaning.
- Thinking the model advises changing leaders constantly, when it suggests adjusting the situation to fit the leader.
Questions
People also ask.
Who developed the Least Preferred Coworker Scale?
Fred Fiedler, an American psychologist, developed it as part of his contingency model of leadership from the 1960s onwards.
What does a high LPC score mean?
It suggests a relationship-oriented leader who stays positive about even a difficult colleague, whereas a low score suggests a task-oriented leader.
Is the scale used in finance teams?
It can be used in any management setting, including finance, to discuss leadership fit for projects such as system migrations and restructurings.
From the founder's library
Take it further with the book.
Build your financial confidence beyond this definition. Shihan's full-length guide, Accounting Fundamentals, takes the same plain-English approach and turns it into a complete, practical playbook for non-finance managers, business owners and students - with chapter-end quiz answers and presentation slides included.
25% off with code MMHQ25, applied at checkout. Priced in USD - checkout may show the equivalent in your local currency.
View the book and save 25%Related