Relinquishing DM Control

My husband and I have been discussing a multitude of ways to relinquish DM control in the game. He is seeking ways to increase player involvement on both sides of the screen. I am torn on this idea, though.

Giving players more input means that they will have a greater interest in the game and will be more genuinely involved in it. The DM and players can thusly work together to create something that everyone can and will enjoy and look forward to being involved in. It can forge a healthy relationship in which everyone participating can't wait until they meet again.

However, in allowing the PCs a greater influence, the DM runs the risk of creating either a very scatterbrained campaign (with no real focus or directive) or a very lopsided one (in favor of the PCs essentially either ruling the world or running amok within it). Also, it is good for a DM to have secrets that he/she can partition out to the players as plot hooks to keep them seeking out more. And giving up control can cause a lack of discipline in maintaining roles. For a group that has difficulties with immersion, getting in character or staying involved, relinquishing DM control will either really help or really hurt; some players will get more into it while others don't (and those that don't may cause hangups).

I think there are two key necessities for this to work well. Firstly, the DM has to be able to adapt and to be quick on the fly, and a lot of people just aren't like that for all that they may want to see themselves that way. Secondly, players must be willing to devote more time and thought to the game than is normally required on their part, and they may not want or be able to do so.

I personally find it extremely difficult to be on both sides of the table at once. I do enjoy co-DMing while running a party NPC, or even a savvy PC, but our current gaming group is too small and prohibits me from really doing so, especially now while I'm still learning 4th edition.

I definitely think that this idea has a lot of merit but that it is not something that all groups can undertake. It really depends on the people in the group, on both sides of the table. There are a multitude of creative ways to get players more involved while still maintaining predetermined roles, and I would like to see some of those means explored. The DM doesn't have to just hand over the reins and ask the players to tell him/her what is going on, and this is probably not the best way to go about this anyway.