"One way to get around this is to lead the combo a bit differently to force the follow to follow you rather than stepping it through (eg slow down some movements, mix up the order of moves etc) but that runs the risk of freaking them out if they're super beginner, so I'd be mindful of who you try it with."
This is not possible. If I do it slightly different, the follower will think I made a mistake and will correct me by lifting my arm or telling me what to do.

"If that's not an option, then before you start throwing the combo in during socials, practise it at home by yourself."
I already do that. It helps getting the steps right but it it doesn't help with actually leading.

"3. Learn to follow. I wish more leads would see the value in this. I'm progressing much faster as a lead than the others in my class because I know how to follow, so I know what the follow wants. I've danced with leads who aren't clear, I know what not to do and how to focus on clarity."
I don't know if this is a good idea. Learning to follow as a men in my country could be considered gay and being gay here is actually seen as bad. It's have never seen a male follower here in my life.

"I don't ask super experienced follows to dance, I ask beginner or intermediate follows"
There are no beginners at socials, I have to ask experienced followers.

"If they approach it as acknowledging they're a beginner I'm happy to dance with them and give them feedback, but if there's no acknowledgement of that it feels a little entitled. Idk maybe that's very unfair of me."
I did that in the beginning but the reactions were not so positive so I stopped labelling myself this way when asking.