I’ve been a giant Transformers fan for as long as I can remember. As a small boy with coke bottle glasses, I’d sprawl out on our shaggy carpet, glued to our wood-framed CRT TV the second the show came on. Transformers detailed the battles between the heroic Autobots and villainous Decepticons as they fought over the future of Earth. I couldn’t figure out why at the time, but I instantly fell in love with Optimus Prime, the fearless but gentle leader of the Autobots. I loved the way he spoke. He always seemed to know what to say, how to guide his team, and he was always willing to risk himself to ensure the best outcome. Any time he bellowed “Autobots, roll out!” he gave me goosebumps. I’ve watched him for decades.
But sadly, Peter Cullen, the legendary voice of Optimus Prime, passed away on August 26, 2026. This made watching the 40th anniversary theatrical re-release of Transformers: The Movie even more emotional, as it featured the death of Optimus Prime. In rewatching the film, I realized that Prime has been softly teaching me about leadership for decades through a series of core principles. They’ve helped shape me into the leader I am today.
Shield the team
Prime put his team above all else. He was fiercely loyal and never afraid to put himself in harm’s way to ensure his Autobots were safe and would succeed. If a team member made a mistake, he stood by them and assumed responsibility while pushing them to learn from that mistake. Through this protection and support he built a connection with each member, and they didn’t want to let him down. They wanted to make him proud.
However, shielding the team is a delicate and thoughtful balance. I use healthy paranoia to hunt for threats inside and outside of the team. I don’t wall them off; I advocate for what they need. This often manifests as the proper amount of time to do UX research, giving timely feedback, or making sure team members flex their time after a particularly challenging project that required extra hours. The team is strong, they just need some support and protection to do their best.
Build with bold personalities
Prime was often the strongest and smartest among his fellow Autobots, but he relied on their expertise and skills whenever he could. Like any good 80s cartoon that doubled as a toy commercial, each of his team members had a bold personality and a unique set of skills that was both enthralling to young viewers and challenging for Prime to manage. But no matter the situation, he was able to draw on the strength of the team to best the Decepticons in battle.
I find that design teams are very much the same. Sometimes you have a Grimlock, Perceptor, or even a Hot Rod. It may be challenging to manage at times, but the blend of personalities and skills makes the end product significantly better. Once I had a Kup: someone who was seasoned, told lots of stories, and frequently flirted with burnout. They were a standout on a relatively young team, and their cynicism was starting to seep into the mindset of some of the team members. So instead of trying to suppress what they were, I leaned into it. I had them tell the team more stories during critiques, but had them emphasize cautionary tales. They became the watchdog for pitfalls on projects, helping everyone stay on track. Even better, they had fun in the role. This led to the team’s work getting even better as a whole.
Know when to jump in, and when to step back
Whether it was charging into battle or rescuing human friends, Prime was always leading the charge and inspiring others. For him, leadership was something he learned. Before he was the mighty Optimus Prime, he was the humble Orion Pax, a simple worker who always wanted to do the right thing. He rose to the position of leadership and never forgot where he came from. For me this simply means you should never ask something of others you wouldn’t ask of yourself.
That’s hugely important to remember when leading a design team. If you’ve walked a team member’s path, you’ve experienced what they’re experiencing and can coach them to success. You have to know when to jump in and do the work to clear the path. But you also have to know when to step back again to let the team retake the lead. I’ve learned this the hard way, as my own growth journey has led me to jump into projects as a player/coach. Once I jumped in to help an overwhelmed team member make a deadline, but then stayed at the front of the project for too long. This ultimately hurt the team member’s confidence and blinded me to what was going on with the rest of the team. There has to be a balance.
Be transparent
Never one to sugarcoat anything, Prime was always clear with his team on the situation and where each team member stood. He was open and honest, talking through his plans and actions while also taking feedback. That transparency helped the rest of the team see challenges the way he did. This made things simple and clear for everyone.
I’ve learned that being transparent isn’t as difficult as it might appear to be. Earlier in my career as a leader I felt pressure to have all the answers, to keep the team happy, and to be liked. I wanted to keep things upbeat and I avoided difficult conversations or giving bad news. But this led to much larger challenges, as difficult conversations were delayed until annual reviews, and bad news was only made worse over time. Now I try to lead like Prime: I communicate often and am as clear as possible. I give and seek feedback, keep the team updated, and answer questions openly. If I don’t know the answer, I simply say “I don’t know, but let’s find the answer”. This has been critical to building trust with my team.
Thank you
Maybe all this is why I loved Optimus Prime so much as a kid. He didn’t lead because he needed to be in charge or prove he was the most powerful. He just wanted the best for his team. I think this is what it means to be strong enough to be gentle. When leading, it’s easy to overthink things. But for forty years, Prime has shown me that it’s really about protecting people, telling them the truth, and clearing the path so they can do their best.
Thank you, Peter Cullen, for the decades of love and dedication you put into this role. From the boy sitting on that shaggy carpet to the leader I am today, you and Optimus Prime taught me lessons I’ll never forget.
