I overheard a colleague having a disappointing customer service experience that ended with the agent on the phone rudely disconnecting the call.

My colleague’s problem still wasn’t solved, so he called back to speak to someone else. Now he wasn’t just a customer with a problem; he was a frustrated customer with a problem.

Consider the transition from the first agent to the second. Without having deserved it, the second agent had inherited a headache created by first.

This happens in many settings. One sour interaction creates a deficit — and the fallout is felt by the next person in line.

It’s good to remember this when you’re passing along an unsolved problem. Someone else will have to deal with the mess you’re creating.

And it’s good to remember this when you’re the one picking up where someone else left off. That person’s present state has been influenced by previous interactions.

And it’s good too, to keep all of this in mind when you’re on the receiving end.

Of course, this heredity isn’t always negative. It can be the opposite. When we’re at our best, we can create virtuous cycles where positive interactions spread.

Even better, the positive influence can begin from either side: from those serving or those being served.