The LPC Theory of Leadership

Fred Fiedler developed the LPC theory of leadership. LPC theory of leadership suggests that a leader’s effectiveness depends on the situation.

The LPC theory attempts to explain and reconcile both the leader’s personality and the complexities of the situation. This theory was originally called the “contingency theory of leadership. However, because this label has come to have generic connotations, new labels are being used to a void confusion. “LPC” stands for “least-preferred coworker.”

The validity of Fiedler’s LPC theory has been heatedly debated because of the inconsistency of the research results. Apparent shortcomings of the theory are that the LPC measure lacks validity, the theory is not always supported by research, and Fiedler’s assumptions about the inflexibility of leader behavior are unrealistic. The theory itself, however, does represent an important contribution because it returned the field to a study of the situation and explicitly considered the organizational context and its role in effective leadership.

Видео The LPC Theory of Leadership канала GreggU