Q: Our regional manager is verbally abusive to my co-worker and me. The difference in the abuse is that the boss says things to my co-worker in front of others in the office, but when she mistreats me, she does it behind closed doors, so there are no witnesses. When my co-worker tried talking to the boss about her abusive behavior, the boss replied with, "You don't tell me what to do. I can do anything I want to do."

So I started keeping precise records of every abusive remark she made to me, and I reported her to her boss right before the weekend. When she finds out about the complaint, I know she will be angrier than ever, but no one should be allowed to abuse anyone the way she does.

I realize it will be just my word against hers, and I may even get fired, which I can't afford. If I don't get fired, she may be even more abusive to me than before my complaint. I am not sure how to deal with it.

A: Impulsive behavior at work can jeopardize one's position, and it sounds like this is exactly what happened. Your plan took on a life of its own and your future working for this boss or even at the company is now questionable.

The step after documenting someone's words and behavior is to analyze the information before deciding what to do with it. "Abuse" can mean many things, but workplace abuse is specific and doesn't include general rudeness no matter how unprofessional. Your boss' statement to your co-worker was unprofessional, rude and untrue, because she can't do anything she wants to do, but few people get fired for such behavior with a first-time complaint. Once you have your so-called evidence on a person, think about what you want the complaint to accomplish. Even when a complaint has substance, it may not net the results you want, and it's better to review the possibilities than to be shocked by them.

You don't want to get fired, but you are aware of the potential. You didn't like your boss' rude or crude treatment of you, but you may get blasted by more of the same if management doesn't respond they way you would like, which would be a strict reprimand and warning to your boss.

Regardless of what happens the week after the complaint, update your resume. This is not a maybe, but a must. The results of the complaint may not be immediate, and each day you walk into the office may offer changes. You will also not be privy to what takes place between upper management and your boss. How your boss reacts to hearing about the complaint could change 360 degrees a day, a week, or a month later and you must be prepared.

And here's the most important piece of information for anyone who is considering filing a complaint to upper management or the human resource department. Know who they are — as corporate officers or representatives, as colleagues, as individuals. HR can be filled with the most qualified and fair-minded employees imaginable, or it could be filled with employees who do not have the experience, the knowledge, or the desire to stand behind you and help. Always know the players and don't leave your future up to chance. You've taken time and energy to get your job; don't throw it away by unknowingly placing yourself on HR's hit list. Curiosity doesn't kill the cat, but naivete will.

Email your questions to workplace expert Lindsey Novak at [email protected] and follow her on Twitter @TheLindseyNovak. To find out more about Lindsey Novak and to read features by other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists, visit the Creators Syndicate website at www.creators.com.