PurposeThe purpose of this study is to explore how inclusive leadership promotes organizational performance through ambidextrous innovation (i.e. exploratory and exploitative innovation). Moreover, the authors examine the moderating role of environmental uncertainty in the relationship between inclusive leadership and ambidextrous innovation.Design/methodology/approachThis study conducted a questionnaire survey of high-tech enterprises in China and obtained 325 useable samples. The hypotheses were tested using latent path analysis and ordinary least squares regression.FindingsThe results indicate that exploratory and exploitative innovations mediate the relationship between inclusive leadership and organizational performance. Moreover, environmental uncertainty positively moderated the relationship between inclusive leadership and exploitative innovation.Practical implicationsManagers should value the critical role of inclusive leadership in promoting exploratory and exploitative innovation, which in turn improves organizational performance. Meanwhile, managers need to pay attention to the risk caused by environmental uncertainty.Originality/valueThis paper extends the influence of inclusive leadership on innovation from the individual level to the organizational level and reveals the influence mechanism of inclusive leadership on organizational performance. In addition, this study supplements the knowledge regarding the boundary conditions under which the influence of inclusive leadership is strengthened or weakened.