In his best-selling book, The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People, author Stephen Covey offers a handful of principles for life and work. "Be proactive," he recommends. "Begin with the end in mind." There are five more habits, of course, but just those first two seem strangely familiar after spending time with another business leader named Steven: Steven LeBlanc, president and CEO of Charlotte, N.C.-based Summit Properties. Talk to LeBlanc and those who know him, and these themes emerge again and again in his career and corporate decisions.