Applied collaboration - The collaborative value of doing nothing

Applied collaboration is extremely valuable, if you're doing nothing. Well, maybe not literally nothing, but not what somebody expects you to do.

As an example: I'm waiting for Patrick to send out meeting minutes, coordinate a workshop and give me more information on the innovation project he's working on. I haven't heard anything for the whole week. So how should I know? Call him? Wait for an email? Or just wait?
Or should I send him an email, asking what he's actually doing, when he will send the meeting minutes and if there is anything new with the innovation stuff? - You know how likely emails are to sound rude, and how easily rumors are spread: Is the innovation project dead? Am I telling Patrick that he does not do his work?

A collaboration network with minimal status-notes could tell me that Patrick was very busy with the innovation project, did not have any time for the meeting minutes, and is dealing with our partner agency to schedule our workshop.