What does the least preferred co-worker (LPC) contingency theory suggest about leaders?

The least preferred co-worker (LPC) contingency theory, developed by Fred Fiedler, posits that a leader's perspective on their least preferred co-worker is a crucial insight into their leadership style. If a leader rates their least preferred co-worker highly, it suggests they are more relationship-oriented, valuing interpersonal connections and team dynamics. Conversely, a lower rating indicates a task-oriented focus, prioritizing the completion of tasks over interpersonal relationships.

This understanding serves as a diagnostic tool for identifying a leader's style, thus guiding organizations in placing leaders in situations where they are most likely to be effective based on their orientation. The LPC scale, therefore, effectively categorizes leaders into these two primary styles and underscores that a leader’s effectiveness is contingent on the context in which they operate, emphasizing the importance of matching leadership styles with situational demands.

The other options do not accurately capture the nuances of Fiedler's theory. It does not claim that all leaders are inherently task-oriented, nor does it suggest that effectiveness is independent of situational factors or that only relationship-oriented leaders can succeed. The theory emphasizes the interaction between the leader's style and situational variables, which influences overall effectiveness.