Assume that: (1) universal adoption of X is good, (2) individual adoption of X takes a few time and effort, and (3) individual adoption of X provide no benefit whatsoever (such benefit will come when everyone has switched).

I think X will never be adopted before either (1), (2), or (3) becomes false. That or you actually scheme a "Grand Plan forcing the [adoption]".

I the case of IPv6, the author proposed to solve (2) by embeding the switch in the normal upgrade process, and (3) by making IPv6 backward compatible with IPv4. That is not forcing anyone. It just removes a huge amount of friction, solving the chicken-and-egg problem.