Your direct reports. I have known managers who had earned the followship of their direct reports, and I've known some who "lead" by threatening their direct reports with retribution. In the latter case you can change leaders easily because there is no loyalty to the person just a fear of the retribution. If on the other hand a leader earns their followers loyalty their direct reports will do what they can to aid them, even when it might be against the rules to do so.
One of the tougher places you can find yourself is when you're loyalty is to one leader, but you are being asked to follow a different leader. That is especially difficult if it is a different leader that you do not respect.
I've seen that situation occur when the leader is removed against their wishes and so they have made no effort to help the team transition to the new leader (or acting leader). That is hard on the new leader and unfair to the team, but I have seen it up close more than once.
One of the tougher places you can find yourself is when you're loyalty is to one leader, but you are being asked to follow a different leader. That is especially difficult if it is a different leader that you do not respect.
I've seen that situation occur when the leader is removed against their wishes and so they have made no effort to help the team transition to the new leader (or acting leader). That is hard on the new leader and unfair to the team, but I have seen it up close more than once.