Resistance to change is a major obstacle in developing and implementing effective instructional programs, yet it is rarely considered, discussed, or addressed. The school leaders who are responsible for improvement frequently feel that their efforts are being blocked or thwarted. For the most part, they are correct, but they may not realize that the resistance usually has a systemic basis and is not inherent in teachers. The multiple layers of responsibility produce a lack of clarity, compound miscommunication, and cloud expectations--significant problems to overcoming resistance to change. Such a lack of clarity about expectations causes problems for coaches and teachers who are trying to understand which directive, suggestion, or request to follow. To clarify their expectations, principals need to maintain an open dialogue with content coaches and help them focus on their areas of influence. In this article, the authors discuss how to overcome resistance to change. In overcoming resistance, the authors stress that coaches need to concentrate on areas beyond communication: (1) learning about the research that supports their work; (2) building rapport with teachers; and (3) supporting change in the classroom.