The guy at the top that became much less active by Day 7 had come up with the answer on Day 2, wrote the report on Day 3, sending copies to the others to sign off on; and then he moved on to new tasks.
At that point, he was cut out of the loop as the others took the next several days to forge their social linkages, talk sports, and trade email jokes, until the last possible acceotable time to submit the report.
For being an seen as a non-team player, a loner, and obvious social dynamic misfit, he was fired the next day, and the company hasn't missed him at all. Tasks are still accomplished (mostly) on time, and the social dynamics are spectacular.
Not quite sure what that means... In my 30 years in IT, I look for effective. I leave "spectacular" for HR types.
YMMV.
I’m like that loner guy. Sick of carrying half the company and tired of the percentage of my day consumed by office politics, I work for myself now. Much happier.