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The Dictator in the Contact Centre
The series started by highlighting the six leadership styles in non face-to-face environments:
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Dictator |
Field Marshall |
Conductor |
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"Move now!"
"Do as I say!"
"Take no prisoners."
Best in crisis, to kick-start a
turnaround or work with
problem employees.
Overall Impact: Negative |
"Come WITH me!"
"I have a vision!" |
"People come first!"
"Let's make music." |
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Balancer |
Pacesetter |
Coach |
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"What do YOU think?"
"Let's work together." |
"Come on, keep up!"
"Reach for the stars!" |
"Here's how, you can do it!"
"Just keep trying!" |
You want the Dictator style of leadership in the midst of a crisis or to kick start a turnaround. Although the overall impact is negative, the skills and approach the Dictator uses can make the difference in business and human survival.
Dictators are able to make quick, almost always accurate, decisions. You don't question the Dictator, you do as they say. They are experts at corporate politics and manipulation - the classic Machiavellian. For them the end always justifies the means. They are typically obsessed with the bottom line and eliminate emotion from a situation to deal with people ruthlessly, critically and precisely.
Obviously, this style must be used with extreme caution, nevertheless, there are specific scenarios where only the Dictator is able to bring results. These scenarios include when an organisation must totally change direction for survival, during a crisis, emergency or disaster (technical, natural, public relations or human), during a hostile takeover, stop work action, buyout or merger and when there are problem employees with whom all else has failed.
Dictatorial leadership is designed to break failed and failing business habits. It's effective to shock people into new ways of working quickly! Dictators can make excellent, short-term project leaders as they are so results oriented. Not surprising, the long-term impact of this style is loss of morale, feelings of stress, burnout, high staff turnover, loss of business (profit) and escalating expenses.
Next week Darlene will look at "The Field Marshall".
 Darlene Richard specialises in reviewing and improving telephony-based sales and service channels. She has over 20 years practical experience building, managing and consulting with organisations dependent upon non face-to-face business helping them produce results that are effective, business smart and most of all, people practical.
She's an educator and frequent speaker on relationship marketing and call centre sensibility. Read more about her new book, The Customer Response Management Handbook and order it on-line today. Just click here. | 
