I recognized it immediately. Emma Stone was being interviewed on the Golden Globes red carpet, and the eloquent actress started tripping over her words. As she stood next to Billie Jean King and answered questions about women in sports, you could see that she had momentarily lost her train of thought. And then it happened — she poked fun at herself and trilled her tongue while making a funny face. Suddenly, the moment passed. She continued along, calm and collected, as though nothing had happened.

As a public speaker and Center for Creative Leadership senior faculty member, I spend much of my time talking at the front of a room. And yet no amount of practice can prevent one’s mind from occasionally drifting mid-sentence or eliminate all chances of tripping over one’s words. Still, a few flubs no longer send me into a tailspin, and my lack of upset has nothing to do with practice, little to do with confidence and everything to do with what Ms. Stone demonstrated in a livestreamed interview watched by millions: Getting back on track often just requires a willingness to both point out the situation and poke some fun at yourself.

This works for three reasons:

Humor makes you more creative.

Studies have shown that laughter — and the mood boost that comes with it — promotes creative thinking and innovative thought. Barbara Fredrickson’s broaden-and-build theory supports this. The theory holds that when we are upset or experiencing negative emotions, our attentional awareness, or focus, narrows. In turn, we see fewer opportunities. Think of a giant waterslide: It’s nearly impossible to stop yourself from rapidly descending. However, positive emotions like happiness can not only stop the slide but push you upwards. When we experience positive emotions, we essentially open our internal aperture — we see more possibility and potential. This allows us to build strength and skill, and it becomes a virtuous, upward cycle in which you broaden (your perspective) and build (your skills).

When you start slip-sliding during a presentation, poking fun at yourself or the predicament you are in by saying something like, “Listen to me. I was more eloquent after three martinis during the networking session last night!” can help alleviate the stress of the situation. Bonus points if you follow up with: “Perhaps I’m less eloquent because of those three martinis!”

The whole group can take a breath.