To be honest, I've been contributing to Kubernetes longer than any one who
doesn't work at google, and it hasn't ever been an issue for me. The Googlers I have worked with have been sticklers for doing the right thing for the people we expected to need Kubernetes.
The google teams goals (seen from the outside) have been to built a phenomenal system for running applications that is stable, reliable, makes app author / maintainers lives easier, and will succeed as an open source ecosystem. If we have disagreed, it's more in the details of what to prioritize in the short term to succeed broadly (features, scale, ease of install, ease of running existing Docker images, etc). We haven't always picked right - but it's not for lack of trying.
EDIT: And I have certainly "forced" things that I felt certain audiences need into Kube by convincing other contributors over their initial objections. I can't think of a place where a reasoned argument has not carried the day, ever.