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Key takeaways
A 30 day plan to find tasks to outsource runs the GBL Task Finder one step a week: list in week one, flag in week two, rank and test in week three, and prepare the first handover in week four. It needs about 2 to 3 hours a week of owner time plus each manager's own listing. By day 30 you have a tested first task and a shortlist behind it.
- Week 1: build the long list from records.
- Week 2: flag every task on the six signals.
- Week 3: rank, shortlist five and test the top one.
- Week 4: baseline, brief and set up the first handover.
Want to run the 30-day plan with us? Message us on WhatsApp.
Chat on WhatsApp →Week 1: how do you build the list?
Send every manager the long list template on day one. Ask them to use diaries, inboxes, system data and leave cover notes, not memory. Do your own role first as an example. By day seven, merge the lists and remove duplicates. Expect 60 to 120 tasks in a business of 10 to 50 people.
Week 2: how do you flag the tasks?
Hold one 90-minute session with the managers. Flag every task yes or no on the six signals, recording the failing signal. Strike decisions, duties and keys, and stop tasks nobody needs. Typically a quarter to a third of tasks pass five or six signals.
Weeks 3 and 4: how do you choose and prepare?
In week three, estimate hours, rate risk and effort, cut to five and run the full fit score and 20-case exception check on the top task. In week four, start a baseline, write the task on one page, set up access and processor terms, and plan the checks for its first weeks.
- Days 15 to 18: rank and shortlist five.
- Days 19 to 21: score and check exceptions on the top task.
- Days 22 to 26: baseline, one-page brief, access.
- Days 27 to 30: checklist score and handover date.
What does this look like in practice?
A pattern we see: a firm follows the four weeks in order, lists far more tasks than expected in week one, cuts them hard in week two, and starts its first handover, a block of order updates, shortly after the month ends. The second task follows once the first is stable.
30-day plan checklist
- Day 1: send the long list template.
- Day 7: merge lists and remove duplicates.
- Day 14: finish flagging in one session.
- Day 21: shortlist five and test the top task.
- Day 30: brief ready and handover date set.
Next step
Put the four weekly milestones in your diary today and send the long list template to your managers tomorrow.
Message us on WhatsApp for the 30-day plan and templates, or book a 30-minute consultation.
Chat on WhatsApp →Sources and further reading
- The Sourcing and Consultancy Playbooks · Cabinet Office
- Controllers and processors · Information Commissioner's Office
Frequently asked questions
How long does it take to find tasks to outsource?
About a month for a business of 10 to 50 people: a week to build the long list, a week to flag it, a week to rank and test the top candidate, and a week to prepare the first handover. The first task can usually start shortly after day 30.
How much owner time does the 30-day plan need?
Roughly two to three hours a week for the owner, plus each manager's time to list their own team's tasks and attend one flagging session. Most of the effort is in week one; the later weeks are shorter, focused sessions.
What if we miss a week?
Pause rather than skip. Each week's output feeds the next, so flagging an incomplete list or ranking unflagged tasks wastes effort. Extend the plan by a week and keep the order: list, flag, rank and test, then prepare.
Written by
Global Bridge Labs (GBL) is a UK–Sri Lanka partner for social media, websites and BPO. Everything here comes from client delivery, not theory.
