BACKGROUND:　In　order　to　achieve　sustainable　and　competitive　advantages,　enterprises　must　develop　mainstream　and　new　stream　innovation　simultaneously　so　as　to　achieve　the　short-term　performance　as　well　as　the　long-term　competitive　advantage.　However,　the　funding　and　time　resources　owned　by　enterprises　are　often　restricted,　which　make　the　tensions　and　competitive　demands　pervasive　in　the　process　of　developing　the　mainstream　and　new　stream　innovation.　Furthermore,　the　relationship　between　tensions　and　organizational　innovation　remains　controversial　and　related　empirical　researches　are　rare.　OBJECTIVE:　Based　on　the　paradox　theory　and　ambidexterity　innovation　theory,　we　divide　organizational　innovation　into　mainstream-　and　new　stream　innovation,　aiming　to　discuss　the　different　influences　of　experiencing　tensions　on　the　two　different　types　of　organizational　innovation.　In　addition,　we　aimed　to　explore　the　role　of　leaders＇　paradox　mindset　in　the　relationship　of　experiencing　tension　and　mainstream-　and　new　stream　innovation.　METHODS:　Our　research　uses　regression　analysis　to　perform　hypothesis　testing.　The　survey　data　of　226　small　and　medium-sized　enterprises　are　used　to　conduct　empirical　tests　on　the　hypothesis　proposed　in　our　research.　RESULTS:　The　results　display　that　resource　scarcity　is　the　source　of　organizational　tensions,　and　leaders＇　paradox　mindset　moderate　the　effects　experiencing　tensions　on　mainstream-　and　new　stream　innovation　and　moderate　the　indirect　effect　of　resource　scarcity　through　tensions　on　mainstream-　and　new　stream　innovation.　CONCLUSIONS:　Organizations　will　encounter　a　lot　of　contradictions　and　competitive　demands　in　the　process　of　developing　mainstream-　and　new　stream　innovation.　Effective　leaders　must　learn　to　get　comfort　from　their　discomfort　and　effectively　manage　tensions.　This　study　promotes　movement　in　this　direction　and　contributes　to　the　resolution　of　the　paradox　of　organizational　innovation.　We　hope　that　our　research　fuels　additional　investigations　to　uncover　approaches　to　tensions.　©　2020　-　IOS　Press　and　the　authors.　All　rights　reserved.