Least Preferred Coworker (LPC) Scale

TOTAL SCORE:_____

Pleasant

__
8

__
7

__
6

__
5

__
4

__
3

__
2

__
1

Unpleasant

__

Friendly

__
8

__
7

__
6

__
5

__
4

__
3

__
2

__
1

Unfriendly

__

Rejecting

__
1

__
2

__
3

__
4

__
5

__
6

__
7

__
8

Accepting

__

Tense

__
1

__
2

__
3

__
4

__
5

__
6

__
7

__
8

Relaxed

__

Distant

__
1

__
2

__
3

__
4

__
5

__
6

__
7

__
8

Close

__

Cold

__
1

__
2

__
3

__
4

__
5

__
6

__
7

__
8

Warm

__

Supportive

__
8

__
7

__
6

__
5

__
4

__
3

__
2

__
1

Hostile

__

Boring

__
1

__
2

__
3

__
4

__
5

__
6

__
7

__
8

Interesting

__

Quarrelsome

__
1

__
2

__
3

__
4

__
5

__
6

__
7

__
8

Harmonious

__

Gloomy

__
1

__
2

__
3

__
4

__
5

__
6

__
7

__
8

Cheerful

__

Open

__
8

__
7

__
6

__
5

__
4

__
3

__
2

__
1

Guarded

__

Backbiting

__
1

__
2

__
3

__
4

__
5

__
6

__
7

__
8

Loyal

__

Untrustworthy

__
1

__
2

__
3

__
4

__
5

__
6

__
7

__
8

Trustworthy

__

Considerate

__
8

__
7

__
6

__
5

__
4

__
3

__
2

__
1

Inconsiderate __

Nasty

__
1

__
2

__
3

__
4

__
5

__
6

__
7

__
8

Nice

Agreeable

__
8

__
7

__
6

__
5

__
4

__
3

__
2

__
1

Disagreeable __

Insincere

__
1

__
2

__
3

__
4

__
5

__
6

__
7

__
8

Sincere

__

Kind

__
8

__
7

__
6

__
5

__
4

__
3

__
2

__
1

Unkind

__

__

Here are the instructions for completing the instrument (Least Preferred Coworker Scale):
Think of a person with whom you work or have worked least well. You may have liked or
disliked the person; what is important for the purpose of the questionnaire is that the two
of you did not work well together. (That is why it is called the Least Preferred
Coworker (LPC) questionnaire.) Describe the person, using the following scale (e.g., if
you think of this person as pleasant, check number 8 on the first item). Go through the
material carefully; the scales reverse throughout the questionnaire.

WHEN YOU ARE READY TO REVEAL THE MODEL:

When you have finished, sum your answers for your total score (which will be between
18 and 144). If your total score was between 18 and 57, you have a central tendency to be
task focused. If your score was between 64 and 144, you have a central tendency to be
relationship focused. If you scored between 58 and 63, pick the endpoint to which you
were closer.

Note that the high scores on the questionnaire reflect a positive assessment of your least
preferred coworker. If you describe this person in positive terms, your preferred style is
relationship-focused. If you describe this person in negative terms (with low scores),
your preferred style is task-focused. Fiedler and Chemers noted that:
the high LPC person, who perceives his [sic] least preferred coworker in a more
favorable, more differentiated manner, has as his basic goal the desire to be 'related.'
The low LPC person has a different hierarchy of goals. His basic goal is to accomplish
the task. His self-esteem is derived from [task] achievement.i

Fiedler, FE, and Chemers, M. "Leadership and effective management" (1974), reprinted in Hampton, et al., pp 624-5.