Crossword Genius

Heard talking to the typist from despatch - as a rule it's absolutely awful (12)

Ross

I believe the answer is:

dictatorship

I'm a little stuck... Click here to teach me more about this clue!

'absolutely awful' is the definition.
I can't judge whether this defines the answer.

'heard talking to the typist from despatch as a rule it's' is the wordplay.
I cannot quite understand how this works, but
'to' is within the answer.
'a' is present in the answer.
'rule' could be 'r' (legal abbreviation) and 'r' is present in the answer.
'it's' could be 'ts' (abbreviation. e.g. in 'tis) and 'ts' is found in the leftover letters.
This may be the basis of clue (or it may be nonsense).

Can you help me to learn more?

(Other definitions for dictatorship that I've seen before include "Absolute rule" , "Absolute form of government" , "Government by such as Julius Caesar" , "Form of rule" , "Totalitarian regime" .)

I've seen this clue in the Irish Times.
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