In the course of considering and implementing change, the need often arises for effective application of approaches and tools for managing resistance to change (Palmer, Dunford, and Akin , 2009). Change often fails due to ineffective management of internal and external forces of resistance that oppose the change (Kotter & Schlesinger, 2008; Oreg, 2003; Palmer et al., 2009). In response, this article discusses the approaches (tools) deemed more essential for managing resistance to change than the scope of situational contexts in which they might be applied. The discussion centers on considerations for multidimensional conceptualizations of resistance that are often ignored in evaluating alternatives for action. Multidimensional Conceptualizations of Resistance Strategies to reduce the negative effects of resistance to change most often fail due to an incomplete understanding of the multidimensional nature and scope of resistance. (Kotter & Schlesinger, 2008). A more complete understanding of these multidimensional characteristics develops by considering the meaning of the term. Davidson defines resistance as “. . . everything that workers do and what managers do not want them to do, and that workers do not do what managers want them to do” (Piderit, 2000, p. 785). Therefore, in a fundamental sense, the task of resolving problems of resistance to change essentially crystallizes in that of controlling or motivating employees' dispositional behaviors to facilitate positive outcomes (Gagné & Deci, 2005; Kotter & Schlesinger, 2008). Similarly, Palmer et al., (2009) conceptually define the task of change leadership as that of controlling or shaping behaviors in response to change. York: McGraw-Hill/Irwin. Piderit, S. (2000). Rethinking resistance and recognizing ambivalence: A multidimensional view of attitudes toward organizational change. Academy of Management Review, 25(4), 783-794. Retrieved from the Business Source Elite database. Porter, M. (1996). What is strategy? Harvard Business Review. Retrieved from http://hbr.harvardbusiness.org/1996/11/what-is-strategy/ar/1Schuller, R.H. (n.d.). BrainyQuote.com. Retrieved January 19, 2012, from BrainyQuote.com website: http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/quotes/r/roberthsc120883.htmlSpector, B. (2010). Implementing organizational change: Theory and practice (2nd ed.). Boston: Prentiss Hall.Weber, E. (1986). Systems to Think With: A Response to “A Vision for Decision Support Systems.” Journal of Management Information Systems, 2(4), 85-97. Retrieved from Business Source Premier database.